The impact of intratumor heterogeneity on outcome and resistance to therapy in primary breast cancer: a systematic review.
Med OncolOct 3, 2026 (epub)
Aria Dianati, Andre Dekker, Anke Wesselius et al.
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In 30 seconds
This systematic review examines the impact of intratumor heterogeneity (ITH) on chemotherapy resistance in primary breast cancer, analyzing 12 studies across various tumor subtypes. The review finds that high or increasing ITH is linked to reduced sensitivity to chemotherapy, highlighting the need for better integration of ITH assessments in clinical practice.
Key findings
- High or increasing ITH is associated with reduced sensitivity to chemotherapy.
- Proposed mechanisms of resistance include clonal selection and transcriptional plasticity.
- Integrated radiomic-genomic models outperform single modalities in predicting treatment response.
Why it matters
Understanding intratumor heterogeneity is crucial for improving treatment strategies in breast cancer, as it may significantly influence chemotherapy effectiveness and patient outcomes.