Revenge unraveling the fortress: Exploring anticancer drug resistance mechanisms in BC for enhanced therapeutic strategies

Abstract

Breast cancer (BC) is the most prevalent form of cancer in women worldwide and the main cause of cancer-related fatalities in females. BC can be classified into various types based on where cancer has begun to grow or spread, specific characteristics that influence how cancer behaves, and treatment choices. BC is multifaceted, and due to its diverse nature, the mechanisms involved are complex and have not yet been understood. Overexpression and expression of various factors involved in the functioning of mechanisms lead to abnormal changes, providing an environment supporting cancer cell growth. Understanding BC risk factors and early diagnosis through screening techniques like mammography and diagnostic techniques such as imaging and biopsies has advanced significantly. A wide range of treatment options, including surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, targeted treatments, and hormonal therapies, are now available. Daily advancements are being made in the clinical treatment of BC. Still, BC drug resistance cases remain highly prevalent and are currently one of the biggest problems faced by medical science. To increase response rates and possibly lengthen survival, there is a critical requirement for novel medicines with minimal sensitivity to overcome drug resistance. This review classifies different mechanisms that are involved in the development of BC and workable pharmacological targets and explains how they relate to the development of BC drug resistance. By concentrating on the mechanisms covered in this review, we can have a deep understanding of different mechanisms and learn innovative ways to develop novel therapeutics for the disease to combat medication resistance.