Announcements

We are pleased to announce that the 2024 Tu Youyou Award has been conferred upon Richard DiMarchi and Rolf Müller, in recognition of their significant contributions to natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry.

Richard DiMarchi Indiana University, USA	Prof. Richard DiMarchi is a Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Gill Chair in Biomolecular Sciences at Indiana University, USA. He is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and the National Inventors Hall of Fame. Dr. DiMarchi is a former Group Vice President at Eli Lilly and later at Novo Nordisk. He is recognized for his contributions to the discovery and development of rDNA-derived Humulin®, Humalog®, rGlucagon®, and Forteo®. His academic research has broadened the understanding of glucagon and incretin physiology and pioneered the discovery of single-molecule multi-mechanism agonists for the treatment of diabetes and obesity. The central element to success has been the chemical vision and technology to install within single molecules simultaneous agonism at related G-protein coupled receptors, coupled to the counter-intuitive discovery that glucagon and GIP agonism could synergize the therapeutic efficacy of GLP-1. These peptides and their conceptual approach have transformed the management of excessive body weight to a condition comparable to how hypertension, adult-onset diabetes, and excess cholesterol are medicinally managed.
“Professor DiMarchi was recognized by the 2024 Tu Youyou Award Committee members as being an exceptional leader in the medicinal chemistry of peptides and proteins of natural origin, and as a pioneer in the field of chemical biotechnology. His very important discoveries have led to breakthroughs in new drugs related to the therapy of diabetes and obesity. He has been named as an inventor on a very large number of patents, and he has had initially a highly successful scientific and administrative career in industry, which was followed by over two decades in academia as a distinguished professor.” —Prof. Dr. A. Douglas Kinghorn, Chair of the Award Committee
Rolf Müller Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS), Germany; Helmholtz Centre for Infections Research (HZI), Germany; Saarland University, Germany	Prof. Rolf Müller is the Founding and Managing Director of the Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS) and Professor of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology at Saarland University, Germany. Having received his training from the University of Bonn, he held research positions at the University of Washington, USA, and Braunschweig University of Technology, Germany, prior to his appointment as professor to Saarland University. His laboratory has dedicated itself to the exploration of bacterial natural-product biosynthetic pathways for more than 20 years and has extensive experience in working with myxobacteria and other microbial producer strains. Starting from the isolation and characterization of new microorganisms, the scope of work includes microbiology-, biotechnology-, bioinformatics-, and chemistry-based approaches to exploit these isolates as sources of new drugs with a special focus on novel anti-infectives. Müller and his team apply a variety of state-of-the-art analytical methods and biological assays to perform biological and chemical characterizations of the identified compounds. Prof. Müller has received several awards, including the prestigious Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize, the PHOENIX Pharmacy Research Award, the DECHEMA Prize, and the Inhoffen Medal, as well as being an elected member of acatech, Leopoldina, and the German Academy of Sciences and Literature.
“The 2024 Tu Youyou Award Committee members were highly impressed by the truly outstanding past and ongoing contributions of Professor Müller in both microbial natural products isolation chemistry and in biosynthesis, as well as in the development of lead compounds for their potential in treating human diseases, through his global connections with various major funding agencies. He is also a dedicated teacher who has trained numerous graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, and he has lectured on his research in countries all over the world.” —Prof. Dr. A. Douglas Kinghorn, Chair of the Award Committee

The achievements of Richard DiMarchi and Rolf Müller highlight the transformative impact of natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry. We congratulate them and invite the global academic community and public to join us in celebrating their significant contributions.

2024 Award Committee
Committee Chair:

• Prof. Dr. A. Douglas Kinghorn, Ohio State University, USA.
  

Committee Members (listed in alphabetical order):

• Prof. Angelo Fontana, University of Naples “Federico II”, Italy;
• Prof. Binghe Wang, Georgia State University, USA;
• Dr. Diana Pinto, University of Aveiro, Portugal;
• Prof. Hideaki Kakeya, Kyoto University, Japan;
• Dr. RuAngelie Edrada-Ebel, University of Strathclyde, UK;
• Prof. Thomas Prisinzano, University of Kentucky, USA
• Prof. Wei Li, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, USA.

About the Tu Youyou Award:
The 2024 Tu Youyou Award includes a total monetary prize of 100,000 Swiss Francs and a medal for each recipient. Established in 2016 to honor the pioneering spirit of Nobel laureate Tu Youyou, the Tu Youyou Award is an international award honoring exceptional scholars dedicated to the fields of natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry.

For further information about the award and the winners, please visit the Tu Youyou Award website.

We are delighted to share some editor’s choice articles related to molecular cancer biology that were published in Cancers (ISSN: 2072-6694) in 2024. In addition, some Special Issues on this topic are open for submission. The following is a list of articles and Special Issues that we believe will interest you.

“Ocular Surface Side Effects of Novel Anticancer Drugs”
by Livio Vitiello, Filippo Lixi, Giulia Coco and Giuseppe Giannaccare
Cancers 2024, 16(2), 344; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16020344
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/16/2/344

“Transcription Factors and Markers Related to Epithelial–Mesenchymal Transition and Their Role in Resistance to Therapies in Head and Neck Cancers”
by Marta Pawlicka, Ewelina Gumbarewicz, Ewa Błaszczak and Andrzej Stepulak
Cancers 2024, 16(7), 1354; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16071354
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/16/7/1354

“Molecular Mechanisms of Prostate Cancer Development in the Precision Medicine Era: A Comprehensive Review”
by Shigekatsu Maekawa, Ryo Takata and Wataru Obara
Cancers 2024, 16(3), 523; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16030523
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/16/3/523

“Revolutionizing Treatment: Breakthrough Approaches for BCG-Unresponsive Non-Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer”
by Maciej Jaromin, Tomasz Konecki and Piotr Kutwin
Cancers 2024, 16(7), 1366; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16071366
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/16/7/1366

“Advancements in Circulating Tumor Cell Research: Bridging Biology and Clinical Applications”
by Philip Salu and Katie M. Reindl
Cancers 2024, 16(6), 1213; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16061213
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/16/6/1213

“CD44: A New Prognostic Marker in Colorectal Cancer?”
by Pina Ziranu, Andrea Pretta, Valentina Aimola, Flaviana Cau, Stefano Mariani, Alessandra Pia D’Agata, Claudia Codipietro, Daiana Rizzo, Veronica Dell’Utri, Giorgia Sanna et al.
Cancers 2024, 16(8), 1569; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16081569
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/16/8/1569

Special Issues:

“The Genomic Landscape of Gynecological Cancers”
Guest Editor: Dr. Tong Sun
Submission deadline: 1 October 2025

“Childhood Cancer in the Genomic Era: Experimental and Theoretical Approaches (2nd Edition)”
Guest Editor: Dr. George I. Lambrou
Submission deadline: 31 October 2025

“The Biology of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Implications for Genomic and Immune Therapies (2nd Edition)”
Guest Editor: Prof. Dr. Naoshi Nishida
Submission deadline: 31 January 2026

“Novel Strategies to Fight Metastatic Breast Cancer”
Guest Editors: Prof. Dr. Fernando Schmitt and Prof. Dr. Nuno Vale
Submission deadline: 31 March 2026

Conference: Canadian Breast Cancer Symposium 2025
Date: 19–20 June 2025
Location: Hilton Downtown Toronto, Toronto, Canada

Learn about the latest research innovations and clinical updates that are changing the trajectory of care at the Canadian Breast Cancer Symposium. Taking a truly multidisciplinary approach, world-class experts share knowledge spanning surgery, radiation oncology, medical oncology, pathology, and primary care. Researchers also share innovative therapies and evidence-based approaches that can be translated into surgical and clinical practice.

The following MDPI journals will be presented:

• Current Oncology;
• Cancers;
• IJTM;
• Onco;
• Diseases;
• Women;
• Vaccines;
• Targets;
• Medical Sciences;
• Surgeries;
• Therapeutics;
• Immuno;
• Tomography;
• Clinics and Practice.

Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person at the booth at the conference and answering any questions you may have. For more information regarding the conference, please visit the following link: https://www.breastsymposium.ca/.

1. Could you briefly introduce yourself and your current research topic to our readers?
I have been working as a consultant surgeon since 2010 and as a consultant oncological surgeon since 2013. I successfully defended my doctoral dissertation in 2009. My current research topics include: the combined treatment of rectal cancer, HIPEC in gastric cancer, lymph node ratio as a prognostic factor in colorectal cancer, myeloid-derived suppressor cells, disseminated tumor cells in the bone marrow, and many more. Since 2024, I have participated in the Clinical Scholars Research Training conducted by Harvard Medical School. Consequently, I gained deep insight into advanced clinical trial design, complex statistical analysis, and machine learning.

2. What criteria do you consider most important when evaluating a manuscript?
When I assess a manuscript, I evaluate two main factors: novelty and scientific soundness. First, I check how the results contribute to the existing body of knowledge and whether the references include current literature on the analyzed topic. Next, I thoroughly analyze the methodology of the study. I verify the appropriateness of the statistical tests, as well as primary and secondary outcomes. Moreover, I pay attention to the power of statistical analysis. I check whether the results are adjusted for potential confounders in cohort studies or if the analysis takes into account potential effect modifiers. Finally, I verify whether conclusions are drawn based on the results obtained.

3. As a reviewer, how do you balance encouraging research innovation with the strict requirements for methodological reliability? Could you give an example?
I always appreciate innovations in studies. On the other hand, not all creative solutions are potentially of clinical value. First, I assess the pragmatic implementation of the innovative results. In my opinion, innovative research should be accompanied by exceptional methodological quality. Therefore, before publishing manuscripts on novel diagnostic or therapeutic methods, the study design and proper statistical analysis should be verified.

4. Beyond “error correction”, what unique value do you think excellent peer review brings to the academic community?
Peer review supports the editors in evaluating manuscripts. The main purpose of peer review is to provide comments that enhance the quality of scientific papers. It helps to identify and reject papers that lack scientific soundness and contain serious methodological flaws. Excellent reviewers promote originality and relevance, effectively acting as gatekeepers of quality and innovation. In addition, peer review helps build trust among scholars by ensuring that published research is credible, transparent, and reproducible.

5. In your research career, have you had an experience where reviewers’ feedback led to a research breakthrough?
Frankly speaking, I do not remember such a situation. However, several times, reviewers’ feedback led to a substantially improved manuscript quality. The papers were finally published and recognized by the academic community. I guess that there is the possibility that constructive critiques can lead to better-structured and more impactful papers, and foster discoveries based on data presented in the original paper.

6. How do you view the role of a reviewer in shaping the quality and integrity of published research?
In my opinion, the most important aspect of peer review is that, by critically evaluating submissions, reviewers help maintain the scientific and intellectual credibility of journals and disciplines. Through their judgments on significance, reviewers influence what kind of research is valued and supported. They also assess ethical issues within manuscripts and may identify potential plagiarism or data manipulation.

7. What advice would you give to early career researchers who want to become strong peer reviewers?
I recommend that early career researchers become acquainted with epidemiology, the design of clinical trials, and cohort studies, and a broad spectrum of statistical methods implemented in the analysis of study results. Reading the peer reviews, they receive on their papers can also be highly instructive for preparing valuable feedback. Moreover, reading widely helps to recognize novelty, assess relevance, and spot gaps or redundancies in evaluated papers. Finally, peer review enables you to sharpen your own critical thinking and build your academic reputation over time.

We are delighted to share some of the most viewed papers in the “Cancer Causes, Screening and Diagnosis” Section that were published in Cancers (ISSN: 2072-6694) in 2024. In addition, a few Special Issues on this topic are open for submission. The following is a list of articles and Special Issues that may be of interest to you.

The list of relevant papers can be seen below:

“Underwater Techniques in Gastrointestinal Endoscopy: Diving into the Depths”
by Sandro Sferrazza, Giulio Calabrese, Roberta Maselli, Rui Morais, Antonio Facciorusso, Georgios Mavrogenis, Roberto Di Mitri, Alessandro Repici and Marcello Maida
Cancers 2024, 16(20), 3535; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16203535
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/16/20/3535

“Comparing Two Targeted Biopsy Schemes for Detecting Clinically Significant Prostate Cancer in Magnetic Resonance Index Lesions: Two- to Four-Core versus Saturated Transperineal Targeted Biopsy”
by Juan Morote, Nahuel Paesano, Natàlia Picola, Berta Miró, José M. Abascal, Pol Servian, Enrique Trilla and Olga Méndez
Cancers 2024, 16(13), 2306; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16132306
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/16/13/2306

“Chromogenic LMO2 mRNA ISH Expression Correlates with LMO2 Protein and Gene Expression and Captures Their Survival Impact in Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma, NOS”
by Natalia Papaleo, Andrea Molina-Alvarez, Ricard Onieva, Diana Fuertes, Blanca Sanchez-Gonzalez, Xenia Riera, David Lopez-Segura, Carmen Lome-Maldonado, Xavier Ara-Mancebo, Jose Yelamos et al.
Cancers 2024, 16(13), 2378; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16132378
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/16/13/2378

“Complex Karyotype Detection in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: A Comparison of Parallel Cytogenetic Cultures Using TPA and IL2+DSP30 from a Single Center”
by Joanna Kamaso, Anna Puiggros, Marta Salido, Carme Melero, María Rodríguez-Rivera, Eva Gimeno, Laia Martínez, Leonor Arenillas, Xavier Calvo, David Román et al.
Cancers 2024, 16(12), 2258; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16122258
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/16/12/2258

“Enhanced Lung Cancer Detection Using a Combined Ratio of Antigen–Autoantibody Immune Complexes against CYFRA 21-1 and p53”
by Heyjin Kim, Jin Kyung Lee, Hye-Ryoun Kim and Young Jun Hong
Cancers 2024, 16(15), 2661; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16152661
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/16/15/2661

“Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio and Prognostic Nutritional Index Are Predictors for Overall Survival after Primary Pancreatic Resection of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma: A Single Centre Evaluation”
by Danilo Hackner, Susanne Merkel, Andreas Weiß, Christian Krautz, Georg F. Weber, Robert Grützmann and Maximilian Brunner
Cancers 2024, 16(16), 2911; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16162911
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/16/16/2911

“Molecular and Histopathological Characterization of Metastatic Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinomas: A Case–Control Study”
by Alessia Paganelli, Marco Zaffonato, Benedetta Donati, Federica Torricelli, Veronica Manicardi, Michela Lai, Marco Spadafora, Simonetta Piana, Alessia Ciarrocchi and Caterina Longo
Cancers 2024, 16(12), 2233; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16122233
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/16/12/2233

“Enhanced WGAN Model for Diagnosing Laryngeal Carcinoma”
by Sungjin Kim, Yongjun Chang, Sungjun An, Deokseok Kim, Jaegu Cho, Kyungho Oh, Seungkuk Baek and Bo K. Choi
Cancers 2024, 16(20), 3482; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16203482
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/16/20/3482

Special Issues:

You are invited to view and submit relevant papers to Cancers using the following link:

https://www.mdpi.com/journal/cancers.

Cancers Editorial Office

We are delighted to share some of the most viewed papers in the “Cancer Metastasis” Section of Cancers (ISSN: 2072-6694) from 2024. In addition, a few Special Issues on this topic are open for submission. The following is a list of articles and Special Issues that may be of interest to you.

The list of relevant papers can be seen below:

“Accurate Co-Localization of Luciferase Expression and Fluorescent Anti-CEA Antibody Targeting of Liver Metastases in an Orthotopic Mouse Model of Colon Cancer”
by Kyung-Ha Lee, Kristin E. Cox, Siamak Amirfakhri, Sunidhi Jaiswal, Shanglei Liu, Mojgan Hosseini, Thinzar M. Lwin, Paul J. Yazaki, Robert M. Hoffman and Michael Bouvet
Cancers 2024, 16(19), 3341; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16193341
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/16/19/3341

“HLA-A01 and HLA-B27 Supertypes, but Not HLA Homozygocity, Correlate with Clinical Outcome among Patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Treated with Pembrolizumab in Combination with Chemotherapy”
by Afaf Abed, Anna Reid, Ngie Law, Michael Millward and Elin S. Gray
Cancers 2024, 16(17), 3102; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16173102
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/16/17/3102

“Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Glioblastoma IDHwt Treatment: A Systematic Review”
by Archit Bharathwaj Baskaran, Olivia A. Kozel, Omkar Venkatesh, Derek A. Wainwright, Adam M. Sonabend, Amy B. Heimberger and Rimas Vincas Lukas
Cancers 2024, 16(24), 4148; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16244148
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/16/24/4148

“Streamline Flow of the Portal Vein Affects the Distribution of Colorectal Cancer Metastases: Clinical Reality or Just a Belief? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis”
by Stavros Savvakis, Vasileios I. Lagopoulos, Stylianos Mantalovas, Eleni Paschou, Periklis Kopsidas, Christina Sevva, Alexandros Vasileios Karakousis, Eleni Gigi and Isaak Kesisoglou
Cancers 2024, 16(23), 3902; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16233902
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/16/23/3902

“Mitochondrial Iron Metabolism as a Potential Key Mediator of PD-L1 Thermal Regulation”
by Gizzy Keeler, Stephenson B. Owusu, Mario Zanaty and Michael S. Petronek
Cancers 2024, 16(22), 3736; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16223736
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/16/22/3736

“Altered Mechanobiology of PDAC Cells with Acquired Chemoresistance to Gemcitabine and Paclitaxel”
by Alessandro Gregori, Cecilia Bergonzini, Mjriam Capula, Rick Rodrigues de Mercado, Erik H. J. Danen, Elisa Giovannetti and Thomas Schmidt
Cancers 2024, 16(22), 3863; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16223863
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/16/22/3863

Special Issues:

“Gastric Cancer Metastases”
Guest Editor: Dr. Yu-Yin Liu
Submission deadline: 15 July 2025

“Heterogeneity in Intra-Cranial Tumors: Diagnostic, Prognostic, and Therapeutic Implications”
Guest Editors: Prof. Dr. Francois Ducray, Dr. Shawn L. Hervey-Jumper and Dr. Thiebaud Picart
Submission deadline: 31 July 2025

“Brain Metastases: From Mechanisms to Treatment”
Guest Editors: Prof. Dr. Dawen Zhao and Prof. Dr. Michael Chan
Submission deadline: 15 November 2025

“Prostate Cancer Metastasis—Diagnosis and Treatment”
Guest Editor: Prof. Dr. Arnulf Stenzl
Submission deadline: 12 December 2025

You are invited to view and submit relevant papers to Cancers using the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/cancers.

Cancers Editorial Office

May is designated as Brain Tumor Awareness Month, with various global activities that highlight and increase awareness of brain tumor for research support and development. We would like to take this opportunity to extend our appreciation to all the researchers who have contributed to the fight against this disease. In particular, we would like to share some of the high-quality and innovative research findings in the field of brain tumor, published in Cancers (ISSN: 2072-6694). We hope this announcement will provide useful information for this field.

The list of relevant papers is provided below:

“Genetic Prognostic Factors in Adult Diffuse Gliomas: A 10-Year Experience at a Single Institution”
by Amir Barzegar Behrooz, Hadi Darzi Ramandi, Hamid Latifi-Navid, Payam Peymani, Rahil Tarharoudi, Nasrin Momeni, Mohammad Mehdi Sabaghpour Azarian, Sherif Eltonsy, Ahmad Pour-Rashidi and Saeid Ghavami
Cancers 2024, 16(11), 2121; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16112121
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/16/11/2121

“The Role of Internal Carotid Artery Stent in the Management of Skull Base Paragangliomas”
by Riccardo Di Micco, Rolf Benedikt Salcher, Friedrich Götz, Omar Abu Fares and Thomas Lenarz
Cancers 2024, 16(13), 2461; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16132461
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/16/13/2461

“Histomolecular Validation of [18F]-FACBC in Gliomas Using Image-Localized Biopsies”
by Benedikte Emilie Vindstad, Anne Jarstein Skjulsvik, Lars Kjelsberg Pedersen, Erik Magnus Berntsen, Ole Skeidsvoll Solheim, Tor Ingebrigtsen, Ingerid Reinertsen, Håkon Johansen, Live Eikenes and Anna Maria Karlberg
Cancers 2024, 16(14), 2581; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16142581
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/16/14/2581

“Glioma Type Prediction with Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MR Imaging and Diffusion Kurtosis Imaging—A Standardized Multicenter Study”
by Leonie Zerweck, Till-Karsten Hauser, Uwe Klose, Tong Han, Thomas Nägele, Mi Shen, Georg Gohla, Arne Estler, Chuanmiao Xie, Hongjie Hu et al.
Cancers 2024, 16(15), 2644; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16152644
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/16/15/2644

“Fluorescence-Guided Surgical Techniques in Adult Diffuse Low-Grade Gliomas: State-of-the-Art and Emerging Techniques: A Systematic Review”
by Thiebaud Picart, Arthur Gautheron, Charly Caredda, Cédric Ray, Laurent Mahieu-Williame, Bruno Montcel and Jacques Guyotat
Cancers 2024, 16(15), 2698; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16152698
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/16/15/2698

“An Injury-like Signature of the Extracellular Glioma Metabolome”
by Yooree Ha, Karishma Rajani, Cecile Riviere-Cazaux, Masum Rahman, Ian E. Olson, Ali Gharibi Loron, Mark A. Schroeder, Moses Rodriguez, Arthur E. Warrington and Terry C. Burns
Cancers 2024, 16(15), 2705; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16152705
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/16/15/2705

“Open-Face Masks in Radiotherapy: Enhancing Therapeutic Strategies for Head and Neck and Brain Cancer Patients—A Comprehensive Scoping Review”
by Andrea Lastrucci, Ilaria Morelli, Claudio Votta, Irene Maran, Nicola Iosca, Ilaria Pia Monaco, Viola Salvestrini, Isacco Desideri, Livia Marrazzo, Yannick Wandael et al.
Cancers 2024, 16(16), 2899; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16162899
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/16/16/2899

“The Role of Amide Proton Transfer (APT)-Weighted Imaging in Glioma: Assessment of Tumor Grading, Molecular Profile and Survival in Different Tumor Components”
by Gonçalo Borges de Almeida, Riccardo Pascuzzo, Francesca Mambrin, Domenico Aquino, Mattia Verri, Marco Moscatelli, Massimiliano Del Bene, Francesco DiMeco, Antonio Silvani, Bianca Pollo et al.
Cancers 2024, 16(17), 3014; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16173014
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/16/17/3014

“CSF1R Ligands Expressed by Murine Gliomas Promote M-MDSCs to Suppress CD8+ T Cells in a NOS-Dependent Manner”
by Gregory P. Takacs, Julia S. Garcia, Caitlyn A. Hodges, Christian J. Kreiger, Alexandra Sherman and Jeffrey K. Harrison
Cancers 2024, 16(17), 3055; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16173055
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/16/17/3055

“Value of 11C-Methionine PET Imaging in High-Grade Gliomas: A Narrative Review”
by Zsanett Debreczeni-Máté, Omar Freihat, Imre Törő, Mihály Simon, Árpád Kovács and David Sipos
Cancers 2024, 16(18), 3200; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16183200
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/16/18/3200

“Evolving Practice and Outcomes in Grade 2 Glioma: Real-World Data from a Multi-Institutional Registry”
by Lucy Gately, Katharine Drummond, Anthony Dowling, Iwan Bennett, Ronnie Freilich, Claire Phillips, Elizabeth Ahern, David Campbell, Megan Dumas, Robert Campbell et al.
Cancers 2024, 16(20), 3514; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16203514
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/16/20/3514

“Impact of Radiation on Invasion and Migration of Glioma In Vitro and In Vivo”
by Marina Santiago Franco, Susanne Raulefs, Daniela Schilling, Stephanie E. Combs and Thomas E. Schmid
Cancers 2024, 16(23), 3900; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16233900
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/16/23/3900

“Innovative Approaches to Brain Cancer: The Use of Magnetic Resonance-guided Focused Ultrasound in Glioma Therapy”
by Aleksandra Ćwiklińska, Dominika Przewodowska, Dariusz Koziorowski and Stanisław Szlufik
Cancers 2024, 16(24), 4235; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16244235
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/16/24/4235

“Microbeam Radiation Therapy Bio-Dosimetry Enhanced by Novel Radiosensitiser Combinations in the Treatment of Brain Cancer”
by Michael Valceski, Elette Engels, Sarah Vogel, Jason Paino, Dylan Potter, Carolyn Hollis, Abass Khochaiche, Micah Barnes, Alice O’Keefe, Matthew Cameron et al.
Cancers 2024, 16(24), 4231; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16244231
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/16/24/4231

“Research Progress on Glioma Microenvironment and Invasiveness Utilizing Advanced Multi-Parametric Quantitative MRI”
by Dandan Song, Guoguang Fan and Miao Chang
Cancers 2025, 17(1), 74; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17010074
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/1/74

You are invited to view and submit relevant papers to the journal Cancers at the following link:
https://www.mdpi.com/journal/cancers.

Cancers Editorial Office

1. Could you briefly introduce yourself and your current research topic to our readers?
I am no longer a youngster, but I continue to satisfy my curiosity through scientific activity. I consider myself curious, like many other researchers. In the last century, I have come across developing research on proteins covering many topics and methods, from purifications, sequences, structures, spectroscopic and chemical techniques, stability, folding, and evolution, up to the metabolic and genomic implications, both normal and pathological. Proteins are the object of my curiosity because they act, control, and regulate. They are the essence of life as we know it. Today, I am interested in interactomic technologies to study the human proteome, the one defined as deep and causal on the basis of normal and pathological states. Details of my life are included in the following links: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=KqTA8UDZhMUC&hl=it; https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Giovanni-Colonna.

2. What criteria do you consider most important when evaluating a manuscript?
The criterion is unique with two faces—the consistency of the results with the fundamental principles of scientific research (experiment, data, critical analysis) but also with the human knowledge of the sector. Scientists must show project results experimentally, not by endorsing or explaining them with others' data. When writing a scientific project, it is important to use scientifically valid, certain, and reliable data to support the project; experiments must validate such data, not uphold unvalidated hypotheses. In biomedical sciences, there is often confusion between scientifically valid data and hypotheses. Many researchers still use decades-old deterministic methods, ignoring the complexity of the millennium and the indeterministic global systems biology approach better suited for complex problems like finding disease causes. The complexity of the human organism at all levels makes its properties unpredictable, demanding a global holistic approach to its study. The causes are always deep, microscopic, dictated by the genome and actuated by the proteome. Molecular-level causes follow indeterministic and non-causal physical laws and therefore do not linearly connect with the macroscopic observational world. Therefore, we must always seek causes in the concurrent action of hundreds of different biomolecules expressing a function while simultaneously performing other functions in the organism. For these reasons, defining a certain molecule in the medium under study by a Western blot or similar techniques makes little sense unless we show that its presence functionally connects to all other molecules with which it must collaborate to perform the specific function we are studying. Defining the causes of a pathology requires using relational networks of biomolecules with certain, reliable, and experimentally validated interactions. Proceeding without a solid foundation risk yielding results that are entirely false or entirely accurate.

3. As a reviewer, how do you balance encouraging research innovation with the strict requirements for methodological reliability? Could you give an example?
Innovation is a leap forward into the future that pushes beyond the boundaries of the known, but we don't always know where we end up. The Internet and AI could be two emblematic examples. One should always encourage innovation, even in the face of apparent failure, but only when it adheres to core principles. Innovating means improving what already exists, while evaluating a discovery is a distinct thing. Discovery means finding something new, often something existing but yet unobserved or understood. The evaluation criteria could be similar, but with some fundamental differences—while discoveries expand knowledge, innovations transform it into practical value. Both results must always be reproducible by other researchers.

4. Beyond “error correction”, what unique value do you think excellent peer review brings to the academic community?
A reviewer must prevent unvalidated, and therefore hypothetical, results from polluting human knowledge in the sector. Experience shows that many hypotheses have slowly spread through human knowledge and then gained acceptance as real and reliable events. In these cases, both the reviewer and the editorial team share responsibility: the reviewer did not ensure adherence to basic research principles, and the editorial team may have placed greater emphasis on timely processing.

5. In your research career, have you had an experience where reviewers’ feedback led to a research breakthrough?
I worked many years ago to develop a spectroscopic method to determine the solvent exposure of tyrosine residues in proteins. When folding and the stability of structures were just beginning to be studied, this was a useful method. Our representation was approximate from a mathematical point of view, since it was a matter of determining the second derivative of very "convoluted" spectra with many shoulders. The reviewer explained to us in simple terms how to show the results and how to use them effectively in complex situations. That method was the basis of many of my studies on folding and stability. Today, spectroscopic instruments directly calculate the derived spectra using a small chip.

6. How do you view the role of a reviewer in shaping the quality and integrity of published research?
The reviewer must guide the authors to avoid conclusions that are unclear to the reader while always keeping the results and discussions in line with the fundamental principles of scientific research. To do this, the reviewer reminds authors of the principles and then shows, using their data, how these principles were violated or circumvented. This is time-consuming and labour-intensive for the reviewer, so it is difficult and not always workable because of the time pressure imposed by all publishers. The authors must understand before they accept and correct their results.

7. What advice would you give to early career researchers who want to become strong peer reviewers?
The approach to biomedical research today is multidisciplinary, so you have to be multidisciplinary in the sense that you also have to understand the scientific language of those who express themselves from other corners of science. Otherwise, you risk not understanding the meaning of certain manuscripts. But, at its core, you always have to evaluate whether the results presented result from the principles of scientific research and whether the data presented derive from critically evaluated experiments. Starting any scientific projects requires careful preparation. The preparation of the project requires that its foundations rest on a careful evaluation of the literature data in terms of reliability and credibility. One of the major problems of our time is the widespread incoherence of many indirect results present in the scientific literature. They can lead to a loss of public trust and scepticism about published results if it becomes difficult for other researchers to replicate studies, a fundamental principle of science. Decisions based on inconsistent data can lead to ineffective or harmful policies. Therefore, addressing inconsistencies at the review stage is crucial to ensuring public trust and research integrity. It is therefore essential for early career researchers to promote transparent and rigorous review practices to improve the consistency and quality of scientific results.

We are delighted to share some of the most viewed papers in the Section “Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention” that were published in Cancers (ISSN: 2072-6694) in 2024. In addition, a few Special Issues on this topic are open for submission. The following is a list of articles and Special Issues that may be of interest to you.

The list of relevant papers can be seen below:

“Decision Variables for the Use of Radioactive Iodine in Patients with Thyroid Cancer at Intermediate Risk of Recurrence”
by Samantha K. Newman, Armando Patrizio and Laura Boucai
Cancers 2024, 16(17), 3096; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16173096
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/16/17/3096

“Long-Term Randomized Controlled Trials of Diet Intervention Reports and Their Impact on Cancer: A Systematic Review”
by Edward R. Sauter, Gisela Butera and Tanya Agurs-Collins
Cancers 2024, 16(19), 3296; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16193296
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/16/19/3296

“Perinatal Famine Exposure and Young-Onset Cancer—Lessons from China Health and Nutrition Survey”
by Aidi Shuai, Shahid Ullah, Yongfu Yu, Stephen J. Pandol and Savio George Barreto
Cancers 2024, 16(14), 2537; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16142537
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/16/14/2537

“Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease Is Associated with Increased Risk of Kidney Cancer: A Nationwide Study”
by Juyeon Oh, Beom Kyung Kim, Jin-Ha Yoon, Hyung Ho Lee, Heejoo Park, Jian Lee, Youngsun Park, Byungyoon Yun and Jinsoo Chung
Cancers 2024, 16(18), 3161; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16183161
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/16/18/3161

“Sequential Endoluminal Gemcitabine and Cabazitaxel with Intravenous Pembrolizumab as a Bladder-Preserving Strategy for Docetaxel-Unresponsive Non-Muscle Invasive Urothelial Carcinoma Following Transurethral Resection of Bladder Tumor”
by Ian M. McElree, Vignesh T. Packiam, Ryan L. Steinberg, Helen Y. Hougen, Sarah L. Mott, Mohamad Abou Chakra, Yousef Zakharia and Michael A. O’Donnell
Cancers 2024, 16(14), 2561; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16142561
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/16/14/2561

“The Changing Face of Hepatitis Delta Virus Associated Hepatocellular Carcinoma”
by Mariana Ferreira Cardoso and Mariana Verdelho Machado
Cancers 2024, 16(22), 3723; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16223723
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/16/22/3723

Special Issues:

You are invited to view and submit relevant papers to Cancers using the following link:

https://www.mdpi.com/journal/cancers.

Cancers Editorial Office

We are delighted to share some of the most viewed papers in the “Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy” Section, that were published in Cancers (ISSN: 2072-6694) in 2024. In addition, a few Special Issues on this topic are open for submission. The following is a list of articles and Special Issues that may be of interest to you. 

“The Efficacy and Safety of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Adrenocortical Carcinoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis”
by Obada Ababneh, Alina Ghazou, Mohmmad Alawajneh, Saleh Alhaj Mohammad, Abdullah Bani-Hani, Nasr Alrabadi and Aditya Shreenivas
Cancers 2024, 16(5), 900; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16050900
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/16/5/900 

“Comparing R-Bendamustine vs. R-CHOP Plus Maintenance Therapy as First-Line Systemic Treatment in Follicular Lymphoma: A Multicenter Retrospective GELTAMO Study”
by Mariana Bastos-Oreiro, Antonio Gutierrez, Almudena Cabero, Javier López, Paola Villafuerte, Ana Jiménez-Ubieto, Raquel de Oña, Adolfo De la Fuente, Belén Navarro, Javier Peñalver et al.
Cancers 2024, 16(7), 1285; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16071285
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/16/7/1285 

“Driver Mutations in Pancreatic Cancer and Opportunities for Targeted Therapy”
by Olamide T. Olaoba, Temitope I. Adelusi, Ming Yang, Tessa Maidens, Eric T. Kimchi, Kevin F. Staveley-O’Carroll and Guangfu Li
Cancers 2024, 16(10), 1808; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16101808
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/16/10/1808 

“Targeting of Non-Classical Human Leukocyte Antigens as Novel Therapeutic Strategies in Cancer”
by Javier David Benitez Fuentes, Jorge Bartolome Arcilla, Kauzar Mohamed Mohamed, Alfonso Lopez de Sa, Alicia de Luna Aguilar, Kissy Guevara-Hoyer, Pablo Ballestin Martinez, Antonio David Lazaro Sanchez, Edgardo D. Carosella, Alberto Ocaña et al.
Cancers 2024, 16(24), 4266; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16244266
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/16/24/4266 

“The Transformative Role of 3D Culture Models in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Research”
by Xavier S. Bittman-Soto, Evelyn S. Thomas, Madeline E. Ganshert, Laura L. Mendez-Santacruz and J. Chuck Harrell
Cancers 2024, 16(10), 1859; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers16101859
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/16/10/1859

Special Issues:

You are invited to view and submit relevant papers to Cancers using the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/cancers. 

Cancers Editorial Office