Chemotherapeutic agents for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer: An update

Abstract

Breast cancer is the second greatest cause of death among women worldwide; it comprises a group of heterogeneous diseases that evolves due to uncontrolled cellular growth and differentiation and the loss of normal programmed cell death. There are different molecular sub-types of breast cancer; therefore, various options are selected for treatment of different forms of metastatic breast cancer. However, the use of chemotherapeutic drugs is usually accompanied by deleterious side effects and the development of drug resistance when applied for a longer period. This review offers a classification of these chemotherapeutic agents according to their modes of action and therefore improves the understanding of molecular targets that are affected during treatment. Overall, it will allow the clinician to identify more specific targets to increase the effectiveness of a drug and to reduce general toxicity, resistance and other side effects.

Keywords: Antimetabolites; Antimitotic agents; Chemotherapy; DNA alkylating agents; Efficacy; Hormonal/endocrine therapy; Immunologic therapy; Ion modulators; Metastatic breast cancer; Resistance; Toxicity.