Understanding breast cancer heterogeneity through non-genetic heterogeneity

• Published in: Breast cancer (Tokyo, Japan) Vol. 28; no. 4; pp. 777 - 791
• Main Authors: Barzgar Barough, Neda, Sajjadian, Fakhrosadat, Jalilzadeh, Nazila, Shafaei, Hajar, Velaei, Kobra
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Singapore Springer Singapore 01-07-2021; Springer
• Subjects: Breast cancer; Breast Neoplasms - genetics; Breast Neoplasms - metabolism; Breast Neoplasms - pathology; Cancer Research; Cell Division; Cellular signal transduction; Female; Genetic aspects; Genetic Heterogeneity; Genetic research; Genetic transcription; Humans; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Neoplastic Stem Cells - metabolism; Oncology; Phenotype; Review Article; Signal Transduction; Surgery; Surgical Oncology; Tumor Microenvironment; Heterogeneity; Non-genetic heterogeneity; Phenotype; Breast cancer; Tumor microenvironment
• ISSN: 1340-6868; 1880-4233
• DOI: 10.1007/s12282-021-01237-w

Intricacy in treatment and diagnosis of breast cancer has been an obstacle due to genotype and phenotype heterogeneity. Understanding of non-genetic heterogeneity mechanisms along with considering role of genetic heterogeneity may fill the gaps in landscape painting of heterogeneity. The main factors contribute to non-genetic heterogeneity including: transcriptional pulsing/bursting or discontinuous transcriptions, stochastic partitioning of components at cell division and various signal transduction from tumor ecosystem. Throughout this review, we desired to provide a conceptual framework focused on non-genetic heterogeneity, which has been intended to offer insight into prediction, diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer.