Spotlight on Hot Cancer Biological Biomarkers

A special issue of Biomolecules (ISSN 2218-273X). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Biomarkers".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2025 | Viewed by 81

Special Issue Editors


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Academic Radiology, Department of Translational Research, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
Interests: artificial intelligence; deep learning; radiomics; computed tomography; ultrasound; oncologic imaging; natural language processing; texture analysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The identification and characterization of cancer biomarkers represent a cornerstone of modern precision medicine. Initially rooted in molecular biology and pathology—exemplified by advances in liquid biopsy techniques—biomarkers are now extending their impact far beyond traditional laboratory settings. In recent years, the concept of biomarkers has rapidly expanded to encompass imaging biomarkers, functional parameters, and integrative diagnostic tools, fostering a multidisciplinary approach that bridges molecular profiling, radiology, and clinical decision making. This evolution reflects a growing understanding that robust, reliable biomarkers are essential not only for early detection and prognostication but also for therapy selection, monitoring, and outcome prediction.

As the field moves toward increasingly personalized therapeutic strategies, the development and validation of novel cancer biomarkers—across biological, radiological, and computational domains—are of the utmost importance. This Special Issue, “Spotlight on Hot Cancer Biological Biomarkers”, aims to provide a platform for high-impact contributions that can help advance this rapidly evolving area. Original research articles and systematic reviews focusing on innovative biomarkers, translational approaches, and interdisciplinary methodologies are particularly welcome.

Dr. Dania Cioni
Dr. Salvatore Claudio Fanni
Guest Editors

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. Biomolecules 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 2700 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

  • cancer biomarkers
  • precision medicine
  • liquid biopsy
  • imaging biomarkers
  • translational oncology

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.

Published Papers (1 paper)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

18 pages, 2989 KiB  
Article
Gene Expression Analysis and Validation of a Novel Biomarker Signature for Early-Stage Lung Adenocarcinoma
by Sanjan Singh Sarang, Catherine M. Cahill and Jack T. Rogers
Biomolecules 2025, 15(6), 803; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom15060803 (registering DOI) - 31 May 2025
Abstract
Lung cancer is responsible for 2.21 million annual cancer cases and is the leading worldwide cause of cancer-related deaths. Specifically, lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the most prevalent lung cancer subtype resulting from genetic causes; LUAD has a 15% patient survival rate due to [...] Read more.
Lung cancer is responsible for 2.21 million annual cancer cases and is the leading worldwide cause of cancer-related deaths. Specifically, lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the most prevalent lung cancer subtype resulting from genetic causes; LUAD has a 15% patient survival rate due to it commonly being detected in its advanced stages. This study aimed to identify a novel biomarker signature of early-stage LUAD utilizing gene expression analysis of human lung tissue samples. Using 22 pairs of LUAD and matched normal lung microarrays, 229 differentially expressed genes were identified. These genes were networked for their protein–protein interactions, and 44 hub genes were determined from protein essentiality. Survival analysis of 478 LUAD patient samples identified four statistically significant candidates. These candidate genes’ expression profiles were validated from GTEx and TCGA (347 normal, 483 LUAD samples); immunohistochemistry validated the subsequent protein presence. Through intensive bioinformatic identification and multiple validations of the four-biomarker gene signature, AGER, MGP, and PECAM1 were identified as downregulated in LUAD; SLC2A1 was identified as upregulated in LUAD. These four biologically significant genes are involved in tumorigenesis and poor LUAD prognosis, meriting their use as a clinical biomarker signature and therapeutic targets for early-stage LUAD. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spotlight on Hot Cancer Biological Biomarkers)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop