THE USE OF PEMBROLIZUMAB IN THE TREATMENT OF TRIPLE-NEGATIVE BREAST

Abstract

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype of cancer that does not express hormone receptors (estrogen and progesterone) and does not overexpress HER2. Immunotherapy, especially the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors such as pembrolizumab, has emerged as a promising strategy in the treatment of TNBC. The objective of this work is to analyze the level of efficacy and possible side effects when using Pembrolizimab. A literature review was carried out through the main medical databases using the descriptors “triple negative”, “breast cancer” and “pembrolizumab”, using the Boolean operator “AND”. All articles published between 2021-2024 were included in the primary analysis. It was observed in clinical studies that the addition of pembrolizumab to chemotherapy in patients with metastatic TNBC can increase the response rate and progression-free survival. PD-L1, suggesting that patient selection based on expression of this biomarker can optimize therapeutic outcomes. However, toxicity associated with immunotherapy, including autoimmune reactions, requires careful monitoring. Therefore, pembrolizumab represents a promising new approach to treatment. of triple-negative breast cancer, offering hope for patients with this aggressive form of the disease.