Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) is a subtype of breast cancer that is more aggressive and harder to treat than other forms of the disease.

The name “triple-negative” refers to the fact that the cancer cells don’t have estrogen or progesterone receptors, as well as being HER2 negative. This makes the cancer much more difficult to target with traditional treatments, such as hormone therapy and HER2-targeted therapies. However, there is hope on the horizon in the form of immunotherapy.

What is Immunotherapy?

Immunotherapy is a type of cancer treatment that uses the body’s immune system to fight cancer cells. The therapy can enhance or restore the immune system’s response to cancer cells, which can help slow or stop the growth of cancer.

Immunotherapy works by targeting specific proteins that cancer cells use to elude the immune system. By blocking these proteins, the cancer cells become more visible to the immune system, which can then attack them.

There are currently several types of immunotherapy being used for cancer treatment, including checkpoint inhibitors, CAR T-cell therapy, and cancer vaccines.

How Immunotherapy Works with TNBC

Immunotherapy has shown promise in the treatment of TNBC because it can help stimulate the immune system to attack cancer cells that lack estrogen and progesterone receptors, as well as being HER2 negative.

TNBC is an aggressive form of breast cancer that is difficult to treat because it lacks these receptors and there are few targeted therapies available. Immunotherapy could be used to elicit a response from the immune system to destroy the cancer cells itself.

One type of immunotherapy that has shown promising results is checkpoint inhibitors. Checkpoint inhibitors are drugs that help the immune system recognize and attack cancer cells.

This is done by blocking proteins that stop the immune system from attacking cancer cells. In particular, the checkpoint inhibitor pembrolizumab has been studied extensively for use in TNBC. Results from the KEYNOTE-119 and KEYNOTE-355 trials suggest that adding pembrolizumab to chemotherapy can improve survival rates in TNBC patients.

Limitations of Immunotherapy in TNBC

Although immunotherapy has shown promising results in the treatment of TNBC, it has not yet been effective for all patients. Some patients don’t respond to immunotherapy, while others experience significant side effects.

Additionally, research is still ongoing to determine the most effective types of immunotherapy treatment for TNBC.

Another challenge in the use of immunotherapy for TNBC is identifying which patients are most likely to respond to treatment. Currently, there is no definitive method for determining which TNBC patients will benefit from immunotherapy.

Future of Immunotherapy in TNBC

Despite the challenges, the future of immunotherapy in the treatment of TNBC is promising. Ongoing research is exploring the use of immunotherapy in combination with other treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy, to improve outcomes.

Additionally, new types of immunotherapy are being developed specifically for TNBC, which could help improve response rates and reduce side effects.

The use of biomarkers to identify patients who are most likely to benefit from immunotherapy is also an area of ongoing research. One potential biomarker is the presence of immune cells within the tumor itself.

Studies have shown that TNBC tumors with high levels of immune cell infiltration tend to respond better to immunotherapy.

Conclusion

Immunotherapy is changing the fight against TNBC by providing a new and promising treatment option. While research is still ongoing to determine the best methods for using immunotherapy, the potential benefits for TNBC patients are significant.

By stimulating the immune system to attack cancer cells, immunotherapy may offer a way to treat TNBC more effectively and with fewer side effects than current treatments.