Why natural killer cells in triple negative breast cancer?

The triple-negative subtype of breast cancer (TNBC) has the bleakest prognosis, owing to its lack of either hormone receptor as well as human epidermal growth factor receptor 2. Henceforth, immunotherapy has emerged as the front-runner for TNBC treatment, which avoids potentially damaging chemotherapeutics. However, despite its documented association with aggressive side effects and developed resistance, immune checkpoint blockade continues to dominate the TNBC immunotherapy scene. These immune checkpoint blockade drawbacks necessitate the exploration of other immunotherapeutic methods that would expand options for TNBC patients. One such method is the exploitation and recruitment of natural killer cells, which by harnessing the innate rather than adaptive immune system could potentially circumvent the downsides of immune checkpoint blockade. In this review, the authors will elucidate the advantageousness of natural killer cell-based immuno-oncology in TNBC as well as demonstrate the need to more extensively research such therapies in the future.