American Journal of Medical and Clinical Sciences. 2023;
8(2):(84-116)
Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Based Therapy: Targeting Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
Heather A. Domby, Vincent S. Gallicchio.
Abstract
Across the globe, breast cancer (BC) is the most frequently identified cancer in women,
with approximately 1.7 million new cases diagnosed annually. Despite current advances
in cancer treatment and detection technology, breast cancer stem cells (bCSCs) within the
tumor microenvironment have contributed to the rise in chemotherapy drug resistance
and tumor relapse. As a result, BC remains a considerable public health threat and is of
utmost importance to biomedical research. The emergence of cell-based therapies has
provided promising potential in terms of clinical application, especially regarding tumor
heterogeneity. Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-based therapy has been an attractive
area of research due to the self-renewal and differentiation capabilities of MSCs. On the
other hand, the use of MSCs in cancer treatment and human clinical trials is restricted
by contradictory results in preclinical investigations. This review summarizes the unique
attributes of MSCs and their mechanistic potential in targeting triple-negative breast cancer
(TNBC). It addresses preclinical risk factors associated with MSC-based therapy and future
direction to improve therapeutic utility.
