Case Report: Triple-negative breast cancer with brain and meningeal metastases exhibits spatiotemporal heterogeneity in terms of HER2 expression
Meningeal carcinomatosis (MC) is a distinct form of brain metastasis (BM) that occurs in patients with advanced triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). The occurrence of BM typically indicates a poor prognosis. Spatial heterogeneity in HER2 expression is relatively common in breast cancer cases; howev...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Oncology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2025.1599148/full |
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| author | Xubin Wang Zhiyun Weng |
| author_facet | Xubin Wang Zhiyun Weng |
| author_sort | Xubin Wang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Meningeal carcinomatosis (MC) is a distinct form of brain metastasis (BM) that occurs in patients with advanced triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). The occurrence of BM typically indicates a poor prognosis. Spatial heterogeneity in HER2 expression is relatively common in breast cancer cases; however, the emergence of both temporal and spatial heterogeneity within the brain parenchyma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is exceedingly rare. Thus, the phenomenon warrants further investigation. Herein, we report a case of advanced TNBC with BM and MC. HER2 was expressed in the CSF and exhibited spatial and temporal heterogeneity. The CSF was analyzed using immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry, confirming the presence of HER2-positive tumor cells in the patient’s CSF. MC was effectively controlled after treatment with trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd). Relevant literature was reviewed to analyze the reasons for this phenomenon. In this case, the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of the HER2 receptors observed in the CSF suggests that BM may be driven by the synergistic interaction of multiple subclonal tumor cells. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-37ceb8d126a24829be6d74ee817b7e0c |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2234-943X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Oncology |
| spelling | doaj-art-37ceb8d126a24829be6d74ee817b7e0c2025-08-20T03:30:49ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Oncology2234-943X2025-06-011510.3389/fonc.2025.15991481599148Case Report: Triple-negative breast cancer with brain and meningeal metastases exhibits spatiotemporal heterogeneity in terms of HER2 expressionXubin WangZhiyun WengMeningeal carcinomatosis (MC) is a distinct form of brain metastasis (BM) that occurs in patients with advanced triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). The occurrence of BM typically indicates a poor prognosis. Spatial heterogeneity in HER2 expression is relatively common in breast cancer cases; however, the emergence of both temporal and spatial heterogeneity within the brain parenchyma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is exceedingly rare. Thus, the phenomenon warrants further investigation. Herein, we report a case of advanced TNBC with BM and MC. HER2 was expressed in the CSF and exhibited spatial and temporal heterogeneity. The CSF was analyzed using immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry, confirming the presence of HER2-positive tumor cells in the patient’s CSF. MC was effectively controlled after treatment with trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd). Relevant literature was reviewed to analyze the reasons for this phenomenon. In this case, the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of the HER2 receptors observed in the CSF suggests that BM may be driven by the synergistic interaction of multiple subclonal tumor cells.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2025.1599148/fullhuman epidermal growth factor receptor 2trastuzumab deruxtecancase reportmeningeal carcinomatosistriple-negative breast cancers |
| spellingShingle | Xubin Wang Zhiyun Weng Case Report: Triple-negative breast cancer with brain and meningeal metastases exhibits spatiotemporal heterogeneity in terms of HER2 expression Frontiers in Oncology human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 trastuzumab deruxtecan case report meningeal carcinomatosis triple-negative breast cancers |
| title | Case Report: Triple-negative breast cancer with brain and meningeal metastases exhibits spatiotemporal heterogeneity in terms of HER2 expression |
| title_full | Case Report: Triple-negative breast cancer with brain and meningeal metastases exhibits spatiotemporal heterogeneity in terms of HER2 expression |
| title_fullStr | Case Report: Triple-negative breast cancer with brain and meningeal metastases exhibits spatiotemporal heterogeneity in terms of HER2 expression |
| title_full_unstemmed | Case Report: Triple-negative breast cancer with brain and meningeal metastases exhibits spatiotemporal heterogeneity in terms of HER2 expression |
| title_short | Case Report: Triple-negative breast cancer with brain and meningeal metastases exhibits spatiotemporal heterogeneity in terms of HER2 expression |
| title_sort | case report triple negative breast cancer with brain and meningeal metastases exhibits spatiotemporal heterogeneity in terms of her2 expression |
| topic | human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 trastuzumab deruxtecan case report meningeal carcinomatosis triple-negative breast cancers |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2025.1599148/full |
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