TAZ oncogene as a prognostic factor in breast cancer

Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in females and one of the main causes of cancer related deaths. Breast cancer in the metastatic stage is related with poor prognosis. Metastasis is the process whereby cancer cells travel to and colonize distant sites through the lymphatic system or bloodstream, which usually indicates a poor prognosis. The metastatic cascade involves several molecular and cellular interactions and different signaling pathaways. Recently the Hippo signaling has emerged as an important regulatory pathway in cancer. The Hippo target protein TAZ has been reported as a novel oncogene that may have important role in the development of breast cancer. Its overexpression promotes cancer stem cell formation and epithelial–mesenchymal transition in many human cancers. In breast TAZ seems to play a critical developmental role and in breast cancer is one of the factors involved in therapeutic resistance and clinical relapse. Herein, we review the biological functions of TAZ and summarize the current knowledge and opportunities for therapeutic intervention in this field