Molecular Pathways in Breast Cancer Chemoresistance

Chemoresistance is one of the determinants of breast cancer (BrCA) prognosis. Chemoresistance leads to recurrence and metastasis that causes adverse outcomes in BrCA. Several molecular mechanisms are associated with the regulation of chemoresistance in BrCA. Anti-apoptotic pathways, survival pathways, cell cycle regulation, and epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) pathways play a crucial role in regulating chemoresistance in BrCA. Cancer stem cells (CSC) are a critical component of BrCA chemoresistance. CSC can influence several molecular pathways in BrCA chemoresistance. However, molecular mechanisms involved in CSC maintenance are primarily unexplored. The correlation between intrinsic pathways of CSC and chemoresistance is also an unexplored area. In this chapter, we have tried to explore the different molecular pathways that dictates the chemoresistance in BrCA.