Elf5 - breast cancer's little helper

A variety of transcription factors has been shown to regulate lineage commitment in the mammary gland and to be associated with different molecular subtypes of breast cancer. E74-like factor 5 (Elf5) has now been identified as a marker of oestrogen receptor status, and high expression correlates with more aggressive basal cancers and resistance to anti-oestrogens. Manipulation of Elf5 transcript levels perturbs the molecular profiles of luminal and basal subtypes, highlighting the possibility that targeting Elf5 could provide a new approach for the treatment of basal cancers.