MicroRNAs as regulatory elements in triple negative breast cancer

Triple negative breast cancer is a very aggressive subtype of breast cancer characterized by high recurrence rates and a greater likelihood of death compared to other breast cancers. Additionally, it is characterized by lack of expression of the estrogen and progesterone receptors and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)/neu. The current treatment for triple negative breast cancer is chemotherapy and that often results in a poor outcome. Therefore, it is essential that new, alternative therapeutic targets are identified. MicroRNAs are small non-coding elements that regulate the expression of various genes. Research has identified microRNAs promoting and in some cases suppressing cell proliferation by targeting genes in triple negative breast cancer cells. Thus, they are promising cancer targets and they should be further investigated as they could function as biomarkers of triple negative breast cancer in the future. Here we focus on the role of microRNAs in triple negative breast cancer and their potential as therapeutic targets. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.