The Tumor Microenvironment and Heterogeneity: Challenges and Opportunities in Multiple Myeloma Immunotherapy
A special issue of Biomedicines (ISSN 2227-9059). This special issue belongs to the section "Cancer Biology and Oncology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2026 | Viewed by 10
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Immunotherapies such as monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs), and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-/NK-cell therapies have shown remarkable efficacy in treating multiple myeloma (MM), the second most common hematological malignancy. However, significant challenges currently limit their further application and long-term success. A particular challenge is the immense genetic complexity of MM. The disease is characterized by various combinations of primary and secondary genetic events, each of which might lead to a distinct surfaceome expression landscape. Furthermore, MM cells can achieve antigen loss through intrinsic mechanisms such as genetic mutations, deletions, or post-transcriptional modifications, rendering them invisible to targeted therapies. Intra-tumoral heterogeneity also allows for the emergence of subclones with low or no target expression, which can escape immunotherapy and eventually promote disease relapse. Finally, the bone marrow microenvironment acts as a formidable barrier. This complex ecosystem not only shields myeloma cells but also accumulates immunosuppressive cells that actively suppress anti-tumor immune responses. Therefore, a more comprehensive understanding of the MM microenvironment, the MM immune repertoire, and the tumor’s heterogeneous surfaceome is required in order to overcome these barriers and unlock the full potential of immunotherapy for all MM patients.
This Special Issue welcomes the submission of manuscripts that provide insights regarding the MM microenvironment, novel targets/resistant mechanisms, as well as biomarkers/models for predicting the efficacy of MM immunotherapies. We hope that such a Special Issue will serve as a valuable reference for guiding the translation of novel findings into effective treatment for patients.
Dr. Enze Liu
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Biomedicines is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- multiple myeloma
- immunotherapies
- tumor microenvironment
- novel targets
- surfaceome
- expression heterogeneity
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
