Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells are deficient in estrogen, progesterone and ERBB2 receptor expression, presenting a particularly challenging therapeutic target due to their highly invasive nature and relatively low response to therapeutics. There is an absence of specific treatment strategies for this tumor subgroup, and hence TNBC is managed with conventional therapeutics, often leading to systemic relapse. In terms of histology and transcription profile these cancers have similarities to BRCA-1-linked breast cancers, and it is hypothesized that BRCA1 pathway is non-functional in this type of breast cancer. In this review article, we discuss the different receptors expressed by TNBC as well as the diversity of different signaling pathways targeted by TNBC therapeutics, for example, Notch, Hedgehog, Wnt/b-Catenin as well as TGF-beta signaling pathways. Additionally, many epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors effectively inhibit the TNBCs, but they face challenges of either resistance to drugs or relapse. The resistance of TNBC to conventional therapeutic agents has helped in the advancement of advanced TNBC therapeutic approaches including hyperthermia, photodynamic therapy, as well as nanomedicine-based targeted therapeutics of drugs, miRNA, siRNA, and aptamers, which will also be discussed. Artificial intelligence is another tool that is presented to enhance the diagnosis of TNBC.

Cadmium sulfide (CdS) nanoparticles were synthesized by chemical precipitation method using cadmium chloride (CdCl₂), sodium sulfide (Na₂S) and water as a solvent by varying temperatures from 20–80 °C. The nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) and UV-Visible spectroscopy. XRD pattern revealed cubic crystal structure for all the synthesized CdS nanoparticles. Raman spectra showed first and second order longitudinal optical (LO) phonon vibrational modes of CdS. The size of CdS nanoparticles was found to be in the range of 15–80 nm by FE-SEM analysis, in all cases. The atomic percentage of cadmium and sulfur was confirmed to be 1:1 from EDS analysis. TEM micrograph depicts the spherical shape of the particles and the size is in the range of 15–85 nm while HR-TEM images of CdS nanoparticles exhibit well-resolved lattice fringes of the cubic structure of CdS. The optical properties of CdS were examined by UV-Visible spectroscopy which showed variation in absorption band from 460–480 nm. The band gap was calculated from the absorption edge and found to be in the range of 3.2–3.5 eV which is greater than the bulk CdS.

A green method for an efficient synthesis of water-soluble carbon nanoparticles (CNPs), graphitic shell encapsulated carbon nanocubes (CNCs), Carbon dots (CDs) using Camphor (Cinnamomum camphora) is demonstrated. Here, we describe a competent molecular fusion and fission route for step-wise synthesis of CDs. Camphor on acidification and carbonization forms CNPs, which on alkaline hydrolysis form CNCs that are encapsulated by thick graphitic layers and on further reduction by sodium borohydride yielded CDs. Though excitation wavelength dependent photoluminescence is observed in all the three carbon nanostructures, CDs possess enhanced photoluminescent properties due to more defective carbonaceous structures. The surface hydroxyl and carboxyl functional groups make them water soluble in nature. They possess excellent photostability, higher quantum yield, increased absorption, decreased cytotoxicity and hence can be utilized as a proficient bio imaging agent.