The molecular subtype of MBCDF-D5, MBCD3, MBCD23, MBCDF-B3, MBCD25, MBCD17, MBCDF and MBCD4 breast cancer cells was determined according to the expression of estrogen and progesterone receptors and HER2 (epidermal growth factor receptor 2) (Additional file 1: Table S1) [33], and the response to MTF in these primary breast cancer cell cultures was evaluated after treatment with increasing doses of MTF (0.5, 1, 5, 10, 25, 50, and 100 mM). This evidence concerns the gene ERBB2 and breast cancer.