Background: Human basal-like breast cancer (BLBC) has a poor prognosis and is often identified by expression of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). BLBC remains a major clinical challenge because its pathogenesis is not well understood, thus hindering efforts to develop targeted therapies. Recent data implicate the forkhead box C1 (FOXC1) transcription factor as an important prognostic biomarker and functional regulator of BLBC, but its regulatory mechanism and impact on BLBC tumorigenesis remain unclear.