OBJECTIVES: To summarize literature on the burden of illness in patients with advanced or metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and identify information that may inform a cost-effectiveness analysis. METHODS: Searches of MEDLINE, Embase, EconLit, and the NHS Economic Evaluation Database were conducted to identify relevant literature describing the epidemiology (January 2006–July 2016), economic burden, quality-of-life (QoL) burden, and treatment guidelines (January 2011–July 2016) associated with TNBC. Search strategies included disease terms for breast cancer, advanced/metastatic disease, and hormone receptor/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 status. Abstract review, full-text review, and data extraction were conducted by a single reviewer and validated by a second, independent reviewer. RESULTS: A total of 3140 publications were identified; following screening, 36 studies were selected for review (21 epidemiology, two economic, 13 guidelines). Across 11 studies, reported prevalence of the triple-negative (TN) subtype among advanced/metastatic breast cancer ranged from 1.3% to 25.6% (nine out of 14 patient groups had prevalence >15%). Incidence rates were reported to have a similar range (nine studies), and rates of the TN subtype were shown to be higher for younger patients and African-American patients. Among 10 studies reporting overall survival, all but one reported a median of <9 months. Economic evidence was limited (two studies), but indicated increased resource use and higher treatment costs compared with non-TNBC patients. No QoL studies were found for a TNBC population; supplemental searches identified two additional studies in a general metastatic breast cancer population to provide context. Disease progression has the largest impact on QoL in this population; chemotherapy-related adverse events also showed a significant QoL burden. Treatment guidelines generally recommended anthracycline- and taxane-based chemotherapy as initial treatment for TNBC. CONCLUSIONS: This review highlights the paucity of literature available to inform cost-effectiveness evaluations of advanced/metastatic TNBC, indicating a need for further research.