Characterization of a drug resistant MCF-7 breast cancer cell line developed by repeated cycles of 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) therapy

Breast cancer accounts for 14% of cancer fatalities and 23% of all cancer diagnoses, making it the most common cause of cancer death among women and one of the most frequently diagnosed cancers. This disease is a life-threatening public health concern because of its significant influence on the general population. Therefore, further molecular research is required to determine its prognosis and create tailored treatments. Since it closely resembles mammary epithelium, the human breast cancer cell line MCF-7, which expresses genes for oestrogen, progesterone, and glucocorticoid receptors, is the most appropriate in vitro model for cancer research. Resistant cell lines were created by repeatedly cultivating MCF-7 wild-type cells in media containing 5-fluorouracil, a first-line treatment for breast cancer. The resistant cell lines were found to be cross-resistance to other anticancer medications in addition to being resistant to 5-fluorouracil, according to the in vitro MTT cytotoxicity assay.