From barrier invasion to niche formation: mechanisms and therapies in breast cancer brain metastases - PubMed
2 hours ago
- #brain metastases
- #breast cancer
- #drug delivery
- Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women and often leads to brain metastases.
- Brain metastases involve genetic, epigenetic, angiogenic, and stromal interactions that help tumor cells cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and adapt to the brain environment.
- The BBB restricts therapeutic drug penetration, making treatment challenging; current options like stereotactic radiosurgery and whole-brain radiotherapy have limited effectiveness.
- This review synthesizes the biology of breast cancer brain metastases, including BBB infiltration and tumor microenvironment formation.
- It evaluates the limitations of existing therapies, such as targeted therapies and immunotherapies, and highlights innovative approaches to overcome drug delivery bottlenecks.
- Advances in minimally invasive drug delivery techniques are emphasized to enhance drug penetration and efficacy.
- Future directions include multidisciplinary treatment strategies for precision intervention.