Novel therapeutics in breast cancer—Looking to the future

Breast cancer treatment has evolved dramatically in the last few years. Despite the benefit of anthracyclines, taxanes and trastuzumab for patients with metastatic and early breast cancer, the challenges of de novo and acquired resistance are still present. With advances in the molecular characterization of breast cancer, patient selection and individualization of treatment has taken on singular importance. Three main types of breast cancer have been reported to date: (a) HER-2 positive; (b) basal-like; and (c) luminal breast cancer. A large number of new agents now target different receptors and signalling pathways that sustain cancer survival and proliferation. In this review we highlight the novel molecules currently being tested in clinical trials that have or will have the potential to change our daily clinical practice; in particular, we focus on molecules used in the treatment of HER-2 positive and basal-like breast cancer patients.