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International Journal of Oncology
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Print ISSN: 1019-6439 Online ISSN: 1791-2423
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June-2026 Volume 68 Issue 6

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International Journal of Molecular Medicine

International Journal of Molecular Medicine

International Journal of Molecular Medicine is an international journal devoted to molecular mechanisms of human disease.

International Journal of Oncology

International Journal of Oncology

International Journal of Oncology is an international journal devoted to oncology research and cancer treatment.

Molecular Medicine Reports

Molecular Medicine Reports

Covers molecular medicine topics such as pharmacology, pathology, genetics, neuroscience, infectious diseases, molecular cardiology, and molecular surgery.

Oncology Reports

Oncology Reports

Oncology Reports is an international journal devoted to fundamental and applied research in Oncology.

Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine

Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine

Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine is an international journal devoted to laboratory and clinical medicine.

Oncology Letters

Oncology Letters

Oncology Letters is an international journal devoted to Experimental and Clinical Oncology.

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Explores a wide range of biological and medical fields, including pharmacology, genetics, microbiology, neuroscience, and molecular cardiology.

Molecular and Clinical Oncology

Molecular and Clinical Oncology

International journal addressing all aspects of oncology research, from tumorigenesis and oncogenes to chemotherapy and metastasis.

World Academy of Sciences Journal

World Academy of Sciences Journal

Multidisciplinary open-access journal spanning biochemistry, genetics, neuroscience, environmental health, and synthetic biology.

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International Journal of Functional Nutrition

Open-access journal combining biochemistry, pharmacology, immunology, and genetics to advance health through functional nutrition.

International Journal of Epigenetics

International Journal of Epigenetics

Publishes open-access research on using epigenetics to advance understanding and treatment of human disease.

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Review Open Access

METTL3 in esophageal cancer: Current insights into molecular mechanisms, subtype heterogeneity and targeted therapy prospects (Review)

  • Authors:
    • Chunlan Pu
    • Huan Hu
    • Hengrui Fan
    • Tao Chen
    • Jiao Tang

  • View Affiliations / Copyright

    Affiliations: Medical Research Center, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Jiaotong University, The Third People's Hospital of Chengdu, Chengdu, Sichuan 610031, P.R. China, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Xindu District People's Hospital, Chengdu, Sichuan 610500, P.R. China
    Copyright: © Pu et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.
  • Article Number: 71
    |
    Published online on: April 21, 2026
       https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.2026.5884
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Abstract

Esophageal cancer (EC), comprising esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC), urgently requires novel targeted therapies. The m6A methyltransferase METTL3 has emerged as a critical epitranscriptomic regulator in gastrointestinal malignancies. In ESCC, METTL3 functions predominantly as an oncogene, driving tumor progression via m6A‑dependent modulation of RNA stability, splicing, and translation across key networks, including NOTCH1, EGR1/Snail and Wnt/β‑catenin. Conversely, hypotheses regarding m6A‑independent functions or direct immune‑checkpoint regulation remain unvalidated in EC. Crucially, METTL3 actively modulates DNA damage repair and radiotherapy resistance, exposing a promising therapeutic vulnerability, although clinical pharmacological development remains nascent. Furthermore, METTL3 biology in EAC remains conspicuously uncharacterized. By strictly stratifying evidence by EC subtype, the present review distinguishes empirically validated mechanisms from premature cross‑cancer extrapolations. Ultimately, a novel conceptual framework that redefines METTL3 not merely as a static oncogene, but as a dynamic, context‑dependent regulatory hub, is proposed. Under therapeutic stress, METTL3 amplifies cellular phenotypic plasticity, systematically orchestrating tumor adaptation and treatment resistance.

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Copy and paste a formatted citation
Spandidos Publications style
Pu C, Hu H, Fan H, Chen T and Tang J: METTL3 in esophageal cancer: Current insights into molecular mechanisms, subtype heterogeneity and targeted therapy prospects (Review). Int J Oncol 68: 71, 2026.
APA
Pu, C., Hu, H., Fan, H., Chen, T., & Tang, J. (2026). METTL3 in esophageal cancer: Current insights into molecular mechanisms, subtype heterogeneity and targeted therapy prospects (Review). International Journal of Oncology, 68, 71. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.2026.5884
MLA
Pu, C., Hu, H., Fan, H., Chen, T., Tang, J."METTL3 in esophageal cancer: Current insights into molecular mechanisms, subtype heterogeneity and targeted therapy prospects (Review)". International Journal of Oncology 68.6 (2026): 71.
Chicago
Pu, C., Hu, H., Fan, H., Chen, T., Tang, J."METTL3 in esophageal cancer: Current insights into molecular mechanisms, subtype heterogeneity and targeted therapy prospects (Review)". International Journal of Oncology 68, no. 6 (2026): 71. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.2026.5884
Copy and paste a formatted citation
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Spandidos Publications style
Pu C, Hu H, Fan H, Chen T and Tang J: METTL3 in esophageal cancer: Current insights into molecular mechanisms, subtype heterogeneity and targeted therapy prospects (Review). Int J Oncol 68: 71, 2026.
APA
Pu, C., Hu, H., Fan, H., Chen, T., & Tang, J. (2026). METTL3 in esophageal cancer: Current insights into molecular mechanisms, subtype heterogeneity and targeted therapy prospects (Review). International Journal of Oncology, 68, 71. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.2026.5884
MLA
Pu, C., Hu, H., Fan, H., Chen, T., Tang, J."METTL3 in esophageal cancer: Current insights into molecular mechanisms, subtype heterogeneity and targeted therapy prospects (Review)". International Journal of Oncology 68.6 (2026): 71.
Chicago
Pu, C., Hu, H., Fan, H., Chen, T., Tang, J."METTL3 in esophageal cancer: Current insights into molecular mechanisms, subtype heterogeneity and targeted therapy prospects (Review)". International Journal of Oncology 68, no. 6 (2026): 71. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.2026.5884
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