Epithelial–mesenchymal plasticity in breast cancer

In breast cancer, epithelial–mesenchymal transition is best understood as epithelial–mesenchymal plasticity, not as a binary epithelial-to-mesenchymal switch. 

Epithelial–mesenchymal plasticity is subtype-dependent and differentially shapes metastasis, immune escape, and therapeutic response across hormone receptor-positive/HER2-negative, HER2-positive, and triple-negative breast cancer subtypes.

Hybrid epithelial/mesenchymal states and circulating tumor cell clusters may be more clinically informative than terminal mesenchymal traits alone.

Epithelial–mesenchymal plasticity links tumor-cell state to liquid-biopsy interpretation, immune context, and resistance to systemic therapy. Progress will require biomarker-guided, state-aware strategies that resolve plasticity in space and time.

https://www.cell.com/trends/cancer/fulltext/S2405-8033(26)00084-1

https://sciencemission.com/Epithelial%E2%80%93mesenchymal-plasticity