International Journal of Oncology Special Issues
Microbiota-immunity-hormones axis: what the impact on cancer development and progression
Lead Editor:
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Professor Amedeo Amedei
University of Florence
Italy
The human microbiota, made up of trillions of microorganisms residing in our body, plays a critical role in preserving host health and immune homeostasis but its dysbiosis has a relevant impact on development and progression of various diseases, including cancer. The most studied links between the microbiota and cancer are: 1. Inflammation and Immune System Modulation: GM plays a key role in modulating inflammation and immunity. Persistent inflammation is a known risk factor for various cancer types. When dysbiosis occurs, it can contribute to chronic inflammation which, in turn, can promote cancer development. 2. The modulation of circulating hormones: since GM can metabolize estrogen and androgens compounds, it can potentially affect the balance of circulating hormones in the body with implications for hormones-related cancers. 3. Anti-cancer therapies: GM can modulate and influence the effectiveness of ant-cancer treatments, such as chemo-radio therapies or immune checkpoint inhibitors. 4. Short chain fatty acids (SCFAs): Some GM bacteria are able to produce the SCFA that have been shown to have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties by regulating cell proliferation and differentiation and inhibiting cancer cells growth. By comprehensively exploring the interaction between the microbiota, immunity and the endocrine system, this special issue aims to elucidate the mechanisms by which microbiota dysbiosis may contribute to the cancer onset, progression and treatments; and to provide valuable insights into future directions of research and clinical interventions in this exciting field.
Submission deadline: 27 March 2024
Predictive biomarker of neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy in resectable non-small cell lung cancer
Lead Editor:
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Dr Kyoichi Kaira
Gunma University Hospital
Japan
Nowadays, neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy is identified as one of perioperative treatment in early stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). After 3 cycles of platinum-based regimen plus nivolumab administration, the pathological complete response (p-CR) of 24% was observed, compared to 2.2% in chemotherapy alone. However, there was no established biomarker for predicting the p-CR of chemoimmunotherapy. A exploratory investigation suggested the potential of cfDNA as predictor, however, approximately 75% patients had no detection of cfDNA before chemoimmunotherapy administration. Therefore, it is needed to elucidate the presence of some biomarkers for predicting the p-CR or major pathological response (MPR) at early phase after neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy initiation in NSCLC. This special issue focus on the predictive biomarkers of neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy.
Submission deadline: 15 March 2024
Going to the discovery of new biomarkers in cancer
Lead Editor:
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Dr Susan Costantini
National Cancer Institute "Giovanni Pascale Foundation", IRCCS
Italy
Novel technologies are leading to the identification of numerous biomarkers aimed to predict cancer progression and therapeutic treatment responses. The search for new prognostic and predictive biomarkers is the object of many studies performed on cells, blood samples, and tissues. However, only few cancer biomarkers have been inserted into clinical practice until now and for this reason it is important to run studies focused on this scientific field.
Submission deadline: 14 March 2024
Targeting Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts: Novel Approaches and Future Directions
Lead Editor:
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Professor Hideshi Ishii
Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine
Japan
Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) have emerged as key players in cancer progression and therapy resistance, making them an attractive target for cancer treatment. However, to stand out from similar previous research, we aim to focus on the latest advances in CAF-targeted therapies that have direct implications for drug development, including preclinical in vivo data and combination therapies with cancer immunotherapy. In addition, we will explore the potential of novel molecular targets and cell-based therapies to enrich the scope of CAF-targeted research. This special issue will feature original research articles, reviews, and perspectives on the topic.
Submission deadline: 13 March 2024
Role of the Tight Junctions in Cancer Metastasis
Lead Editor:
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Professor Gregory T. MacLennan
Case Western Reserve University
United States
Metastasis is still an immense challenge in the treatment of cancer. Whilst recent years have seen great advances in cancer diagnosis and treatment, metastasis is still difficult to treat. For cancer cells to successfully detach from the primary tumor and spread around the body, cell-to-cell adhesion must break down. Tight junctions are the first cell adhesion complex to be dismantled during metastasis formation and are therefore fundamental for cancer development. The cellular structure of tight junctions has been increasingly described to be important in cancer disease progression and therefore it is identified as a potential target for treatment and means of drug delivery. Several questions still need to be fully addressed to improve our understanding of the role of tight junctions in cancer metastasis. These include the underlying molecular mechanisms within the cancer cell itself, and also how these mechanisms influence other cell types involved in the metastatic process. Due to their prominent role in cancer development, individual tight junctions have been increasingly reported to be potential diagnostic markers or possible targets for therapy. Moreover, tight junction complexes are crucial to the efficacy of drug therapies, as they can regulate the permeability and bioavailability of the drugs, and penetration of barriers such as the blood-brain barrier.
Submission deadline: 17 November 2023
CAR T cell therapy - quo vadis
Lead Editor:
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Professor Michael Schmitt
Heidelberg University Hospital
Germany
CAR T cells have become a very powerful instrument in the armamentarium against CD19+ lymphoma and leukemia, as well as against BCMA+ multiple myeloma. This issue will update clinician with novel targets, CAR constructs and novel analysis of parameters for clinical responses to CAR T cell theray. Moreover, gene expression profiling of both malignant cells and CAR T cells can help us towards a better understanding of the success and failure in CAR T cell therapy.
Submission deadline: 22 January 2024
Diagnostic and molecular targeting INSM1-associated signaling axis in neuroendocrine tumors
Lead Editor:
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Professor Michael Lan
LSUHSC
United States
Insulinoma-associated-1 (IA-1 or INSM1) cDNA encodes a zinc-finger transcription factor, which was isolated from a human insulinoma subtraction library, with specific expression patterns, predominantly in developing neuroendocrine (NE) tissues and tumors. INSM1 functions as a key differentiation factor in early pancreatic endocrine, sympatho-adrenal lineage, and pan-neurogenic precursor development. Deletion of INSM1 gene expression results in impairment of pancreatic beta-cells, catecholamine biosynthesis, and basal progenitor development during mammalian neocortex maturation. Recent studies revealed that elevated INSM1 expression in NE tumors (NETs) signifies that INSM1 is a superior biomarker for diagnostic and molecular target in NETs. NETs are tumors from cells that release hormones into the blood in response to a signaling from the nervous system. More than a dozen of NETs include carcinoid tumors, islet cell tumors, medullary thyroid cancer, pheochromocytomas, NE carcinoma of the skin (Merkel cell cancer), pulmonary NE tumors (small cell lung cancer, large cell NE carcinoma, and lung carcinoid), pituitary tumor, parathyroid carcinoma, gastroentero-pancreatic NE tumors, medulloblastoma, neuroblastoma, retinoblastoma, and genitourinary tract tumors (NE tumor of the cervix, prostate). Although they share similar NE features, it is known that distinct pathogenesis and oncogenic pathways are involved in each individual cancer. Therefore, it is feasible to target INSM1 biomarker and its associated signaling axis as a novel therapeutic approach for new options in NET treatment.
Submission deadline: 19 January 2024
