Metaplastic Breast Cancer (MpBC)

Metaplastic breast cancer (MpBC) is a rare subtype of breast cancer, and one of the most aggressive due to significant intra-tumoral diversity. Protheragen offers comprehensive diagnostics and therapeutics development services tailored to address the unique challenges of metaplastic breast cancer (MpBC).

Overview of Metaplastic Breast Cancer (MpBC)

Metaplastic breast cancer (MpBC) is a form of breast cancer that is both rare and dangerous; it comprises less than 1% of all invasive breast cancers. It is defined by having both epithelial and mesenchymal components, and MpBC is commonly triple-negative, meaning it does not express estrogen (ER), progesterone (PR) receptors, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). This subtype is associated with advanced disease stage, high rate of progression, aggressive histological grade, and dismal prognosis—having a 5-year overall survival rate lower than the majority of other breast cancer subtypes. With regards to clinical characteristics, MpBC is associated with a breast mass that grows rapidly, lower lymphatic node involvement, as well as greater rates of cases diagnosed with stage III and IV disease.

Fig.1 Characteristics, invasion, and therapeutic of metaplastic breast cancer. (Yan Q., et al., 2024)

Pathogenesis of Metaplastic Breast Cancer (MpBC)

Metaplastic breast cancer (MpBC) has a complex pathogenesis involving genetic and molecular alterations. Key features include:

Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT): E-cadherin loss, an epithelial marker, alongside gain of mesenchymal features brought about by the Snail, Zeb, and Twist transcription factors, increases motility and invasion of these cells.

Genomic Instability: The more frequent mutations in TP53 and PIK3CA along with myc amplifications, Wnt/β-catenin pathway alterations, TERT promoter mutations, and others.

Cancer Stem Cells (CSCs): Presence of CSCs marked by ALDH1 and CD44/CD24 ratios, which are chemoresistant and can drive tumor recurrence.

Immune Microenvironment: Overexpression of immune evasion markers like PD-L1 and immune cell infiltration comprising tumor-associated macrophages, and regulatory T cells enable evasion.

Therapeutics Development for Metaplastic Breast Cancer (MpBC)

• Targeted Therapies: The targeted approaches to therapy for MpBC specialize in certain molecular changes discovered via profiling. Inhibitors of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathways, particularly everolimus and temsirolimus, aim at the frequently modified PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathways with success in preclinical and early clinical trials.
• Immunotherapy: Immunotherapy marks an important milestone in the management of MpBC. Immune checkpoint blockade with PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4 inhibitors has demonstrated clinical value in MpBC, with a subset of cases experiencing long-term favorable outcomes.
• Combination Therapies: The synergistic effects of multiple therapeutic techniques make combination therapy an innovative approach for treating MpBC. To treat MpBC's varying forms and combat its resistant tendencies, adding chemotherapy to more specific targeted therapies or immunotherapy is ideal.

Table 1. Therapeutics of Metaplastic Breast Cancer. (McCart Reed A. E., et al., 2021)

Disclaimer: Protheragen focuses on providing preclinical research services. This table is for information exchange purposes only. This table is not a treatment plan recommendation. For guidance on treatment options, please visit a regular hospital.

Our Services

Protheragen's services in diagnostics and therapeutics for metaplastic breast cancer (MpBC) are unique in that they are developed in a comprehensive manner. Our services combine advanced molecular profiling techniques with robust preclinical research methodologies, ensuring a thorough understanding of the disease and the identification of actionable targets.

Diagnostics Development

• Karyotype Analysis Service
• Omics Analysis Service
• Biomarker Development Service
• Artificial Intelligence Service
• Customized Diagnostics Development

Therapeutic Development

• Anticancer Peptide
• Gene Therapy
• Immunotherapy
• Monoclonal Antibody
• Phytotherapy
• Small Molecule Drug
• Therapeutic Cancer Vaccine

Disease Models

• 4T1 Cell Lines Allograft Models
• EMT6 Cell Lines Allograft Models
• MDA-MB-231 Cell Lines Xenograft Models
• BT474 Cell Lines Xenograft Models
• Genetic Engineering Mouse Models (GEMMs)

Protheragen's preclinical research services for metaplastic breast cancer (MpBC) are designed to accelerate the development of effective therapies. Our state-of-the-art facilities and expertise in molecular biology, pathology, and pharmacology enable us to conduct rigorous preclinical studies. If you are interested in our services, please feel free to contact us.

References

• Yan, Qiaoke, Yuwei Deng, and Qingyuan Zhang. "A comprehensive overview of metaplastic breast cancer: Features and treatments." Cancer Science 115.8 (2024): 2506-2514.
• McCart Reed, Amy E., Emarene M. Kalaw, and Sunil R. Lakhani. "An update on the molecular pathology of metaplastic breast cancer." Breast Cancer: Targets and Therapy (2021): 161-170.

All of our services and products are intended for preclinical research use only and cannot be used to diagnose, treat or manage patients.