Dr. Leon Ferre Discusses Ongoing Research in TNBC

Roberto A. Leon Ferre, MD, oncologist, Mayo Clinic, discusses ongoing research in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).

Physicians do not have great insight into the drivers behind the growth of TNBC cells, says Leon Ferre. Though there has been progress with targeted therapies for specific subsets of patients, they comprise the minority of the overall TNBC population. Patients with PD-L1 expression account for up to 20% of the population, and those with germline BRCA mutations account for an even smaller percentage of patients. The majority of patients are given cytotoxic chemotherapy.

Ongoing research is further investigating the genomics and proteomics of TNBC with the hope of developing additional targets for those patients who do not fit under those categories. Historically, research focused on the tumor, but more effort is being devoted to understanding the tumor microenvironment, explains Leon Ferre. That may lend greater insight into the biology of the disease and help direct treatment towards a tumor cell and the microenvironment that supports that tumor cell, Leon Ferre concludes.