Current Status of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors and Treatment Responsive Biomarkers for Triple‐Negative Breast Cancer

Abstract

ABSTRACT Triple‐negative breast cancer (TNBC), accounting for about 10%–20% of all breast cancer cases, is characterized by its aggressive nature, high recurrence rates, and poor prognosis. Unlike other breast cancer subtypes, TNBC lacks hormone receptors and specific molecular targets, limiting therapeutic options. In recent years, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have shown promise in treating TNBC by targeting immune evasion mechanisms. Despite these advancements, several issues remain unresolved, including low response rates in programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD‐L1) negative TNBC subtypes and the challenge of predicting which patients will benefit from ICIs. Consequently, there is growing interest in identifying reliable biomarkers beyond PD‐L1 expression. This review synthesizes recent studies to provide a comprehensive perspective on ICI therapy in TNBC, clarifying the status of single‐agent ICI therapies and combination strategies, emphasizing the need for further research into biomarkers. These insights provide clues for more personalized and effective treatment approaches, ultimately aiming to improve clinical outcomes for patients with TNBC.

Keywords

• immune checkpoint inhibitor
• immunotherapy
• predictive biomarker
• triple‐negative breast cancer