Abstract

The basal-like subtype of breast cancers, including those that contain germline mutations in BRCA1, tend to be triple-negative (i.e. lack expression of estrogen and progesterone receptors and lack overexpression/amplification of the HER2/neu oncogene), which renders them relatively insensitive to existing "targeted" therapy. BRCA1-mutated and basal-like breast cancers harbor compromised ability for repairing oxidative DNA damage by the DNA base-excision repair pathway. We found that this defective repair mechanism predicts sensitivity to elesclomol, an experimental therapeutic that produces elevated levels of oxidative DNA damage. In conclusion, BRCA1-mutated and/or basal-like breast cancers may benefit from treatment regimens that include elesclomol.

View details for DOI 10.1016/j.dnarep.2012.02.003

View details for Web of Science ID 000304494500008

View details for PubMedID 22425348