A Literature Review of Interleukins in the Development and Treatment of Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is the most common malignant tumor in women worldwide. Triple-negative cancers have the worst prognosis, due to the low effectiveness of current therapies. In recent years, research has been conducted on the relationship between inflammatory process and the development of malignant tumors, including breast cancer. One of the elements influencing the inflammatory process is interleukins. These are small protein molecules belonging to the cytokine family that participate in the function of the human immune and hematopoietic systems. Interleukins are still being studied, and this is an area with significant knowledge gaps. More than 60 cytokines have been designated as interleukins over time, but not all of these designations are consistently used or universally accepted. In the available literature, we have only found information on 41. This is the first review to detail all 41 interleukins and their effects on breast cancer development. The review shows that interleukins affect the development of both locally advanced breast cancer and the development of distant metastases, mainly to the bones. Clinical trials are also underway in these areas: some have failed, and others are still ongoing. Due to the lack of success in the use of interleukins in the treatment of breast cancer, the latest strategies are based on combining several elements of the inflammatory process pathway occurring in breast cancer. This can probably bring us closer to therapeutic success in this area.