Decoding Colorectal Cancer: Innovations in Biomarkers, Microbiota, and Therapeutic Resistance

A special issue of Biomedicines (ISSN 2227-9059). This special issue belongs to the section "Cancer Biology and Oncology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2025 | Viewed by 85

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
1.Cancer Center, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China
2. Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Surgery, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, and Biomedical Engineering, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, College of Design and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119074, Singapore
3. Clinical Imaging Research Centre, Centre for Translational Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117599, Singapore
Interests: colorectal cancer; biomarkers; microbiota; nanomaterials

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality worldwide, necessitating continuous advancements in its prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. In recent years, a deeper understanding of CRC pathogenesis has revealed complex molecular signatures, tumor microenvironmental interactions, and host–microbiota dynamics that contribute to disease progression and therapeutic resistance. Notably, innovations in biomarker discovery—from circulating tumor DNA and exosomal RNAs to metabolic and microbial signatures—are reshaping early detection and paving the way for personalized therapeutic strategies.

This Special Issue, “Decoding Colorectal Cancer: Innovations in Biomarkers, Microbiota, and Therapeutic Resistance”, aims to showcase cutting-edge research that deciphers the biological complexity of CRC. We welcome studies investigating the interplay between tumor genomics, gut microbiota, and resistance to chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy. Contributions utilizing emerging technologies such as multi-omics integration, organoid models, AI-driven radiomics, and spatial transcriptomics are particularly encouraged.

Biomarkers play a critical role in the tumorigenesis, progression, recurrence, and metastasis of colorectal cancer. Their clinical detection facilitates individualized treatment planning, offering the potential to improve therapeutic outcomes and survival rates. With the continued advancement of genomics and molecular biology, numerous biomarkers have been translated into clinical practice, underscoring the need for further clinical studies to validate their utility and expand their application.

Moreover, nanomaterials have demonstrated tremendous promise in oncology by enhancing drug delivery efficiency, minimizing systemic toxicity, and overcoming treatment resistance. As novel nanomaterials and scalable production technologies evolve, CRC therapies are expected to become increasingly precise and effective. Research into the application of nanomedicine in colorectal cancer is therefore poised to become a major driver of innovation in this field.

We invite original research articles, comprehensive reviews, pre-clinical research, and methodologically rigorous perspectives that expand our understanding of colorectal cancer and contribute to the advancement of precision oncology.

Dr. Yinghao Cao
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • colorectal cancer
  • tumor biomarkers
  • nanomaterials
  • drug delivery
  • microbiome–tumor interaction
  • therapeutic resistance
  • exosomes
  • tumor microenvironment
  • prognostic model
  • neoadjuvant therapy
  • conversion therapy

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Published Papers

This special issue is now open for submission.
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