Emerging targeted combinations in the management of breast cancer

Abstract

The number of targeted treatments has risen exponentially over the last few years and is an important concept in the fight against cancer. This review will concentrate on some of the main treatments targeting aberrant pathways which have been tested mainly in the Phase I/II setting. These include human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 inhibitors, drug-antibody conjugates, epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors, vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitors, reticular activating system, mammalian target of rapamycin and multi-kinase inhibitors. Further knowledge of these pathways and the predictors of response to them will enable personalized medicine to become a reality.

Keywords:

• breast cancer
• targeted therapy
• tyrosine kinase
• receptor

Disclosure

Dr Wardley has been paid honoraria from Celgene, Easai, GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis and Roche and has received travel assistance from Roche. The authors have no other conflicts of interest in this work.