ABSTRACT

Mitochondrial dysfunction is associated with a number of chronic diseases, including cancer. In the last few decades, relevant advances have been made regarding the knowledge in this field, especially in breast cancer research. Therefore, mitochondria have been looked not only as the energetic compartment of cells, but also as a source of pivotal events that are determinant for cell fate. In this context, this chapter addresses the main topics regarding mitochondria and its role in several aspects of human breast cancer, including its physiological aspects, mitochondrial genes linked with breast cancer, mitophagy and its context concerning the molecular subtypes of disease. Furthermore, the mitochondrial contribution for disease chemoresistance and if there are mitochondrial targets for breast cancer treatment are discussed.