BCL2A1 regulates Canady Helios Cold Plasma-induced cell death in triple-negative breast cancer

Saravana R. K. Murthy, Xiaoqian Cheng, Taisen Zhuang, Lawan Ly, Olivia Jones, Giacomo Basadonna, Michael Keidar, & Jerome Canady

Breast cancer is the most common cause of cancer death among women worldwide1 and it exhibits diverse molecular features that reflect the high heterogeneity which complicates the clinical treatment2. Breast cancers are categorized by the molecular receptor status3 that are expressed such as the estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) expression. The prognosis for breast cancer patients is generally favorable with ER+/PR+ tumors, intermediate with either ER+/PR− or ER−/PR+ tumors, but a devastating outcome for triple negative breast cancer (TNBC, ER−/PR−/HER2−). Based on the receptor status selective therapeutic interventions are carried out. For example, in the case of ER+ tumor estrogen-receptor modulators, such as tamoxifen and letrozole are administered4, trastuzumab (Herceptin) is a humanized monoclonal antibody developed to target and inhibit the function of HER2 and a dual anti-HER2 regimen, pertuzumab in combination with trastuzumab and docetaxel are administered, however, the incidences of adverse events and resistance to these drugs are not uncommon.