Breast Cancer is one of the most common cancers among women, accounting for 14% of cancer cases. This cancer is typically observed in women above 40 years. Risk factors associated with increasing risk of breast cancer are : early Menarche , late Menopause , Nulliparity , Habits like Cigarette Smoking and hereditary cancer gene such as BRCA1 , 2 Breast Cancer is best detected with Mammograms and Biopsy. Women above 40 are advised to undergo Screening Mammogram once every year for early detection and treatment. 

The treatment of Breast Cancer entirely depends upon the stage, hormonal status, age and health of the patient. With time, there have been significant advancements in the treatment options available for breast cancer. With this, the survival rates have drastically increased by 75%-90%. Women Shoul no longer have to fear complications and trust their healthcare professionals for the best possible treatments. This article will shed light on the advancements in targeted therapies for many forms of breast cancer. 

What are Targeted Therapies and How Do They Work?

Unlike chemotherapy, which affects both cancer and healthy cells, targeted therapies are a particular form of cancer treatment in which only affected Proteins are treated with utmost precision and care. The treatment involves targeting the unique characteristics of cancer cells that differentiate them from healthy cells and potentially interfere with their process of tumour progression, which involves DNA repair, blood vessel formation, and cell signalling. These therapies can kill cancer cells quickly and effectively with minimal side effects

1. Anti Her2Neu ( Human Epidermal growth factor Receptor 2 ) Therapies : Anti HER2neu therapies also called as Her2 Directed Therapies are a class of Drug , targeted mainly on HER2 protein which are expressed in about 20-30% of Breast cancer . The Her2Neu receptors receive signals that stimulate the cell to grow and multiply . Her2Neu Targeted therapies are used to treat all stages : Early to metastatic as well as certain Her2 low expresser Breast carcinoma These therapies have resulted in improvement in survival of earlier called to be aggressive subtype of Breast cancer . There are at least Eight FDA approved Her2neu Directed Therapies available

2. CDK4/6 inhibitors are Oral tablets , Often used in combination with Hormonal Therapy like aromatase inhibitors or selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) to treat HR+ metastatic breast cancer. Cyclin-dependent kinases 4 and 6 (CDK4/6) are enzymes that regulate cell cycle progression. In breast cancer, CDK4/6 inhibitors block the activity of these enzymes, thus halting the cell cycle and inhibiting cancer cell proliferation. These inhibitors are particularly effective in hormone receptor-positive (HR+) breast cancers, where the estrogen receptor (ER) signalling pathway drives tumour growth. There are three CD4/6 Inhibitors available for Hormone receptor positive , advanced breast cancer patients .

3. PARP Inhibitors : Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors contain special enzymes which are helpful in various cellular processes such as DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) repair. PARP1 and PARP2 are the enzymes activated by DNA strand break and are involved in DNA repair. PARP inhibitors are crucial in treating breast cancers in BRCA1 and BRCA mutation patients. These inhibitors exploit the concept of synthetic lethality, where cancer cells with defective DNA repair mechanisms (like those with BRCA mutations) are susceptible to further inhibition of DNA repair pathways by PARP inhibitors.  These inhibitors can be used alone or in combination with other therapies to treat Breast cancer, especially TNBC (Triple-negative Breast Cancer) effectively. 

4. AKT Inhibitors  : AKT (Protein Kinase B)is crucial in cell survival and proliferation pathways. In breast cancer, dysregulation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway is common and is associated with tumour growth and resistance to therapy. AKT inhibitors target this pathway to inhibit cell proliferation and induce apoptosis (programmed cell death) in cancer cells. AKT inhibitors are being investigated in several clinical trials for the effective treatment of various subtypes of breast cancer, especially those with PIK3CA mutations or PTEN loss.

5. Immunotherapy : These are another form of systemic therapy used in to treat TNBC ( triple Negatve Breast cancer ) , these drugs help your immune system identify and kill cancer cell. At this time TNBC are the only Type of Breast cancer in which Immunotherapy is used .Research on these immune check point inhibitor has made it possible to identify different molecular subtype and formulate different individual approaches for these subtypes

Conclusion

Advancements in targeted therapies have increased women's survival rates. These are personalised medicines developed according to the molecular formation of each patient's tumour. Unlike conventional treatments like chemotherapy, targeted therapies focus only on interfering with and disrupting the multiplication of cancer cells while leaving the healthy cells untouched. This approach enhances the treatment success rates and improves patient's quality of life. 

In this dynamic landscape, researchers and scientists constantly advance the understanding of breast cancer biology, identifying the best therapeutic targets and effective treatment combinations to improve patient care and outcomes. 