Special Issue "Breast Cancer: Molecular Pathology, Diagnosis, and Therapeutic Strategies"

Sep 30, 2026

Uploaded by Melati

Special Issue editorial introducing research on breast cancer through molecular pathology, diagnosis, and therapeutic strategies. The text outlines contributions spanning targeted inhibition of molecular vulnerabilities, immunological profiles and biomarker discovery, innovative diagnostic performance, and holistic ecological frameworks. Emphasis is placed on practical clinical implications such as reactivating p53-related pathways, using peripheral immune monitoring for risk assessment, tracking treatment-induced PD-L1 changes, and improving patient selection for imaging- and radioligand-based approaches.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages3

Reading Time8 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Targeted Inhibition and Molecular Vulnerabilities

Immunological Profiles and Biomarkers

Innovative Diagnostic Performance

Holistic and Ecological Approaches

Editorial Special Issue “Breast Cancer: Molecular Pathology, Diagnosis, and Therapeutic Strategies” Rodrigo Sanchez-Bayona 1,2 Received: 8 December 2025 Accepted: 25 December 2025 Published: 30 December 2025 Copyright: © 2025 by the author. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license. 1 Medical Oncology Department, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Hospital 12 de Octubre (imas12), 28041 Madrid, Spain; [rodrigo.sanchez@gruposolti.org](rodrigo.sanchez@gruposolti.org) 2 SOLTI Breast Cancer Research Group, 08028 Barcelona, Spain 1. Introduction Breast cancer remains one of humanity’s most significant oncological challenges, accounting for nearly 30% of all cancer diagnoses in women worldwide [1] . Despite substantial progress in diagnostic techniques and the development of targeted therapies, the aggressive and chameleonic nature of this disease—driven by extensive intratumor and intertumor spatiotemporal heterogeneity—continues to limit the effectiveness of conventional treatments. Addressing this challenge requires an ability to rethink disease mechanismsand develop novel, personalized, and theory-guided therapeutic strategies. In this Special Issue, we present a collection of articles that explores the molecular, immunological, and ecological landscapes of breast cancer. These contributions provide critical insights into targeted treatments, immune monitoring, and the holistic principles that govern tumor progression. 2. Targeted Inhibition and Molecular Vulnerabilities Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) represents the most aggressive subtype, frequently lacking the cellular targets found in other breast cancers and often harboring inactivating p53 mutations [2] . On et al. investigate the pharmacological inhibition of MDM2, a primary negative regulator of p53, using clinical-stage inhibitors Idasanutlin and Milademetan [Contribution 1] . Their study reveals that these inhibitors efficiently reduce TNBC cell viability and induce apoptosis regardless of p53 expression, suggesting that MDM2 is a promising therapeutic target that may function by reactivating other pathways, such as p73 . 3. Immunological Profiles and Biomarkers The interplay between the host immune system and tumor cells is crucial for cancer progression and therapy response [3] . Yi et al. evaluate the clinical relevance of peripheral natural killer (NK) cell activity, measured by interferon gamma (IFN-y) secretion, at the time of diagnosis [Contribution 2] . Their findings indicate that patients with stage III breast cancer exhibit significantly decreased IFN-γ secretion compared to other stages, suggesting that peripheral immune activity could serve as a non-invasive tool for pretreatment risk assessment and patient selection for immunotherapy. Further exploring the immunological shifts induced by treatment, Roqué-Lloveras et al. examine paired tumor samples from early-stage TNBC patients before and after chemotherapy [Contribution 3] . Their research highlights a statistically significant increase in PD-L1 expression post chemotherapy, with 50% of initially negative tumors becoming PD-L1-positive. This suggests that chemotherapy can remodel the tumor microenvironment to become more targetable via immune checkpoint inhibitors, potentially opening up new windows toward targeted combined therapeutic strategies. 4. Innovative Diagnostic Performance The identification of reliable imaging biomarkers is essential for assessing disease extent and selecting eligible patients for advanced treatments. Rizzo et al. provide a systematic review of the diagnostic performance of prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-targeted positron emission tomography (PET/CT) in breast cancer patients [Contribution 4] . While the diagnostic accuracy for assessing overall disease exte

FAQs

What topics does the Special Issue cover for breast cancer research?

It covers molecular pathology, diagnosis, and therapeutic strategies, including targeted inhibition, immunological biomarkers, diagnostic imaging performance, and holistic ecological frameworks.

How does the editorial describe targeted inhibition in triple-negative breast cancer?

It discusses pharmacological inhibition of MDM2 using clinical-stage inhibitors and notes reduced TNBC cell viability and induced apoptosis, independent of p53 expression.

What diagnostic and monitoring approaches are highlighted in the editorial?

It highlights immune monitoring based on peripheral NK cell activity and diagnostic imaging biomarker assessment, including PSMA-targeted PET/CT to support treatment decision-making.

Sep 30, 2026

Uploaded by Melati