Guest Editors
Prof. Ihtisham Bukhari
Email: bukhari@zzu.edu.cn
Affiliation: Henan Key Laboratory of Helicobacter pylori, Microbiota and Gastrointestinal Cancers, Marshall Medical Research Center, Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 400015, China.
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Research Interests: Tumor Biology, Anti-cancer drugs and molecular functions, RNA biology, Mitochondria & cellular metabolism
Dr. Muhammad Riaz Khan
Email: Muhammad.Riaz.Khan@usherbrooke.ca
Affiliation: Research Center on Aging, Centre Intégré Universitaire de Santé et Services Sociaux de l'Estrie-Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada;
Department of Biochemistry and Functional Genomics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada.
Homepage:
Research Interests: RNA Biology, Stem cells, Cancer metabolism
Prof. Niaz Muhammad
Email: nimuham@iu.edu
Affiliation: School of Biochemistry, Minhaj University Lahore, Lahore, 54000, Pakistan.
Homepage:
Research Interests: Cancer development, CarT, anti-cancer therapies
Summary
Cancer is a highly complex disease that progresses through the accumulation of various genetic mutations and epigenetic alterations, some of which incrementally push cells toward malignancy. Tumors can harbor hundreds of mutations, and particularly aggressive cancers often consist of genetically heterogeneous clones. This diversity makes it challenging to decode their molecular signatures. Therefore, it is critical to identify the roles of specific genes and molecular pathways that drive the phenotypic traits of tumor cells. With rapid advancements in cancer genomics and immunology, targeted therapies based on specific molecular alterations or biologic features have become increasingly feasible. Beyond genomics, transcriptomics (RNA analysis) and proteomics (protein profiling) are also key to understanding the biological behavior of tumors. Given that many cellular and molecular mechanisms of cancer are conserved across species—from humans to mice, fish, worms, and flies—novel experimental models are essential for studying specific aspects of malignant transformation.
The evolving understanding of cancer has led to a paradigm shift from traditional pathology-based treatment approaches to those focused on genetic and immune-based characteristics, known as histology-agnostic therapies. Among the most revolutionary changes in the treatment landscape is the clinical implementation of cell-based immunotherapy. Genetically engineered immune cells, such as CAR-T cells, have shown remarkable efficacy in certain solid tumors. These immune cells exhibit improved functionality and resilience against immunosuppressive signals from immune checkpoints and the tumor microenvironment. Despite these advances, the need for greater therapeutic precision remains. Personalized treatment strategies that match individual tumor characteristics with targeted drug combinations offer the potential for improved outcomes. While genomic markers have proven useful in guiding therapy, proteomic markers still show limited correlation with clinical results, pointing to unresolved technical challenges.
Overall, precise cancer treatments based on molecular variants and immune classifications are still in their early stages. However, clinical trials have demonstrated significantly better outcomes with targeted therapies and immunotherapies compared to conventional chemotherapy.
Potential Topics include:
· Tumor classification using genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, immunologic, and other technologies
· Personalized cancer therapies based on multi-omics tumor classification
· Precision oncology research beyond traditional diagnostic frameworks
· Predicting drug resistance via gene, transcriptional, and post-transcriptional alterations
· Innovations in CAR-T cell therapy and broader immunotherapy approaches
· Discovery and mechanisms of action of novel anticancer drugs
Keywords
cancer development, anti-cancer drugs, lncRNAs, transcriptome, proteome, tumor microenvironment, tumor suppressor, oncogene
Published Papers
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