Role of Glucocorticoid Receptor in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive tumor among breast cancer subtypes with much lower overall survival at metastasis compared to other subtypes and with limited treatment options due to a lack of targeted therapies. This has led to the investigation of molecular targets to advance the development of novel therapeutic agents aimed at treating TNBC patients. Recent studies have led us to believe that glucocorticoid receptor (GR) expression may be predictive of decreased survival and increased risk of metastasis in TNBC tumors. Thus, a detailed understanding of GR signaling in TNBC may help understand the role of GR in TNBC proliferation as well as its role as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target. Recent research findings indicate that GR-induced gene regulations may provide an important platform for the development of GR-based therapeutic targets in TNBC. Emerging data from laboratories indicate that targeting GR has the potential to inhibit cancer cell proliferation and reduce tumor growth in TNBC. Therefore, future research focused on underlying molecular mechanisms of GR action in TNBC could lead to a new effective treatment option for TNBC patients, which is urgently needed.