Molecular Profiling and Personalized Medicine in Drug-Resistant Breast Cancer

The utilization of molecular profiling techniques and personalized medicine approaches in the management of breast cancer is driven by molecular targets that can selectively target drug-resistant molecular pathways. The peremptory need for molecular profiling and personalized medicine in the management of drug resistance in breast cancer has revolutionized the concept of precision oncology. Molecular profiling and personalized medicines have drawn increased interest and funding in integrating diagnostics and therapeutics in breast cancer management. Drug resistance in breast cancer accounts for more than forty percent of breast cancer deaths leading to chemoresistance, metastases, relapses, and the subsequent decrease in the effectiveness of chemotherapy medications. The drug resistance mechanisms include the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), epigenetic alterations, increased drug efflux, tumor microenvironment (TME), senescence escape, enhanced DNA repair, and tumor heterogeneity. Deciphering the molecular pathways linked to drug resistance in breast cancer is an indispensable tool in cancer management. The rapidly evolving landscape in the management of breast cancer makes it imperative that the oncologists’ knowledge of the biological disease spectrum aligns with contemporary practice. And precision oncology is no longer a distant promise but a growing reality, and the demand for molecular profiling and personalized medicine is continuously increasing. Various attempts have been made to curb chemoresistance and to overcome drug resistance in drug-resistant breast cancer. However, the effects are still unsatisfactory, which makes it challenging to overcome. The chapter focuses on the utilization of molecular profiling techniques and personalized medicine approaches in the management of drug-resistant breast cancer. It emphasizes the potential use of molecular profiling and personalized medicine in guiding treatment decisions and improving outcomes for patients with drug-resistant breast cancer.