| Autor: |
Kalaba P; Institute of Biological Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria., Sanchez de la Rosa C; Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia., Möller A; QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland 4006, Australia.; The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR 999077, China., Alewood PF; Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia., Muttenthaler M; Institute of Biological Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria.; Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia. |
| Abstrakt: |
Breast cancer is a leading cause of death in women, and its management highly depends on early disease diagnosis and monitoring. This remains challenging due to breast cancer's heterogeneity and a scarcity of specific biomarkers that could predict responses to therapy and enable personalized treatment. This Perspective describes the diagnostic landscape for breast cancer management, molecular strategies targeting receptors overexpressed in tumors, the theranostic potential of the oxytocin receptor (OTR) as an emerging breast cancer target, and the development of OTR-specific optical and nuclear tracers to study, visualize, and treat tumors. A special focus is on the chemistry and pharmacology underpinning OTR tracer development, preclinical in vitro and in vivo studies, challenges, and future directions. The use of peptide-based tracers targeting upregulated receptors in cancer is a highly promising strategy complementing current diagnostics and therapies and providing new opportunities to improve cancer management and patient survival. |
