Assessing the Efficacy of Autophagy Inhibitor in Chemoresistant Breast Cancer

Abstract

Triple positive breast cancer is a subtype of breast cancer that affects women and is marked by the existence of three types of receptors, namely estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) .Tamoxifen, a selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM), is given to the patients with for the treatment of ER-positive breast cancer by blocking estrogen action on cancer cells. However, some patients are unable to respond to tamoxifen or develop resistance. Autophagy, a cellular process that maintains cellular homeostasis, has been implicated in chemoresistance. Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), an FDA-approved drug for malaria and autoimmune diseases, inhibits autophagy by impairing lysosomal function. Studies have shown promising results when HCQ is given in combination with chemotherapy or targeted therapy, as it increases cancer cell sensitivity to chemotherapy-induced stress. Targeting autophagy with HCQ has emerged as a potential strategy for overcoming chemoresistance in breast cancer treatment.