A Short Communication on Lung Metastasis in Breast Cancer: Clinical and Experimental Perspectives

Abstract

Approximately 90% of all breast cancer-related deaths occur due to metastasis, which is the most common type of cancer in women worldwide. The spread of breast cancer is preferential to the lung, brain, bone, and liver, which is known as organ tropism. The lack of early prognostic/predictive methods to determine which organs are most likely to develop metastases has made current treatment methods for metastatic breast cancer ineffective. Most cancer patients die from distant metastases. Based on gene expression profiles, breast cancer can be classified into different subtypes, and different subtypes prefer to metastasize to different organs. Breast tumors that are luminal tend to metastasize to bone, whereas those that are basal-like are more likely to metastasize to the lungs. There is, however, still a need to investigate the mechanisms underlying this organ-specific pattern of metastasis. It is crucial to understand the mechanisms that drive breast cancer metastasis in order to identify novel biomarkers as well as therapeutic targets. 65% of patients who develop lung metastasis die as a result of this disease, which is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this review is to summarize current understanding of breast cancer metastasis to the lung and to discuss potential new treatment approaches for breast cancer metastasis to the lung.