The Role of Alarmins in Breast Cancer

Breast cancer (BC) remains the most common malignant tumor in women globally, with its incidence and mortality ranking first and second among female cancers, respectively. Despite continuous innovation and progress in modern medicine, current clinical treatment strategies for breast cancer still face high mortality rates. Therefore, developing new therapeutic targets and strategies is urgently needed. Alarmins are a class of endogenous molecules released during non-programmed cell death (such as infection or injury), and they typically serve as early warning signals for the immune system. Early research primarily focused on the role of alarmins in autoimmune and immune-mediated diseases, but recent studies have shown that alarmins also play a crucial role in the development, progression, and therapeutic response of breast cancer. In this review, we will discuss the role of alarmin family members (such as HMGB1, S100A8, S100A9, and IL-33) in breast cancer and their potential as therapeutic targets.