breast cancer and brain metastases
see breast. think brain
THE BLOOD-BRAIN BARRIER IS AN IMPORTANT FACTOR IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND TREATMENT OF BRAIN METASTASES1-6
The selective permeability of the BBB may block some current treatment options, making the brain a sanctuary site for metastases2,3
- Transport across an intact BBB is limited to highly lipid soluble molecules and compounds less than 400-600 Da due to the biological structure of the BBB1,2,4,5
- Large molecules greater than ~600 Da may not cross an intact BBB due to their size4,5
The selective permeability of the BBB may block some current treatment options, making the brain a sanctuary site for metastases2,3
- Transport across an intact BBB is limited to highly lipid soluble molecules and compounds less than 400-600 Da due to the biological structure of the BBB1,2,4,5
- Large molecules greater than ~600 Da may not cross an intact BBB due to their size4,5
It’s important to think early and act fast.
BBB = blood-brain barrier; Da = dalton.
References: 1. Witzel I, Oliveira-Ferrer L, Pantel K, Müller V, Wikman H. Breast cancer brain metastases: biology and new clinical perspectives. Breast Cancer Res. 2016;18(8):1-9. 2. Yonemori K, Tsuta K, Ono M, et al. Disruption of the blood brain barrier by brain metastases of triple-negative and basal-type breast cancer but not HER2/neu-positive breast cancer. Cancer. 2010;116(2):302-308. 3. Brosnan EM, Anders CK. Understanding patterns of brain metastasis in breast cancer and designing rational therapeutic strategies. Ann Transl Med. 2018;6(9):163. 4. Morad G, Carman CV, Hagedorn EJ, et al. Tumor-derived extracellular vesicles breach the intact blood-brain barrier via transcytosis. ACS Nano. 2019;13(12):13853-13865. 5. Pardridge WM. Drug delivery to the brain. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab. 1997;17(7):713-731. 6. Janeway CA Jr, Travers P, Walport M, Shlomchik MJ. Immunobiology: The Immune System in Health and Disease. 5th edition. New York, NY: Garland Science; 2001. Accessed September 30, 2021. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK27144 7. Bailleux C, Eberst L, Bachelot T. Treatment strategies for breast cancer brain metastases. Br J Cancer. 2021;124(1):142-155.
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