Research advances in aptamers in the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer (Review).

Cancer is a malignant disease that threatens human life and health. Among cancer types, breast cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors in women worldwide and ranks among the top cancer types in terms of incidence rate of malignant tumors in Chinese women. Aptamers are a class of DNA or RNA sequences that can bind to specific targets through their three‑dimensional structures, and are screened and obtained via systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment technology. Aptamers have advantages of high affinity and specificity, strong stability, low immunogenicity, a wide range of targets and ease of preparation and purification. As effective molecular targeting tools and drug delivery carriers, aptamers and their conjugates show therapeutic potential in the early diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. The present article reviewed the properties and screening techniques of aptamers, as well as their applications and research progress in the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer, with the aim of providing new strategies and directions for the realization of precision medicine for breast cancer via aptamers.