Announcements

On 8 May 2026, MDPI Canada & USA welcomed over 40 researchers, clinicians, and oncology professionals to our Subject Workshop, “Cutting-Edge Advances in Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy: From Basic Science to Clinical Impact”, held at the USC HSC Conference Center in Los Angeles, California.

	Our workshop host, Bob Vrooman, Head of Business Development at MDPI USA, opened the event and emphasized the importance of advancing cancer care. He introduced the workshop chair, Dr. W. Martin Kast, highlighting his achievements in immunology and cancer research.
	Dr. W. Martin Kast welcomed attendees, emphasizing the transformative impact of cancer immunotherapy and the challenges that remain.
	Then, MDPI Canada & USA’s Operating Director, Elvis Wang, emphasized the company's core values of transparency, service, and integrity. Furthermore, he explained the importance of collaboration in scientific research.

The day’s presentations were full of exciting discussion as ten speakers discussed their research findings. These presenters included Dr. Abhinava Mishra, Dr. Alan L. Epstein, Dr. De-Chen Lin, Dr. Casey O’Connell, Dr. Henry K. Wong, Dr. Hossein Jadvar, Dr. Kawaljit Kaur, Dr. Lili Yang, Dr. W. Martin Kast, and Dr. Sonia Sharma.

The presentations included topics such as immune checkpoint blockade therapy, CAR-T and CAR-macrophage therapies, and the role of NK cells in cancer therapy. Furthermore, presentations focused on how epigenetic mutations reshape T-cell behavior.

The second half of the day included presentations covering imaging treatment response criteria and multimodal single-cell analysis. Further presentations focused on the treatment of cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCLs) and the development of therapeutic vaccines to treat HPV-associated cancers.

Dr. Sheridan Baker, a representative of MDPI, covered MDPI's role in supporting open science and MDPI’s publishing trends in oncology. His presentation allowed audience members to further understand how MDPI can support researchers working within a variety of research areas.

During the day’s proceedings, multiple Q&A sessions were held, allowing valuable engagement between speakers and attendees. These sessions were a highlight of the event and helped build a platform for meaningful scientific exchange.

Looking Ahead

The MDPI 2026 LA Subject Workshop “Cutting-Edge Advances in Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy: From Basic Science to Clinical Impact” was a successful collaboration between MDPI and local academics. We are thankful to all attendees for their part in making this event possible and for contributing to its success.

We have received positive feedback regarding this event and look forward to continuing to host these Subject Workshops. For more updates regarding this event and other upcoming workshops, follow MDPI Canada on LinkedIn.

We are delighted to share a collection of highly viewed papers in cancer causes, screening and diagnosis that were published in Cancers (ISSN: 2072-6694) in 2025. In addition, some Special Issues on this topic are currently open for submission. The following is a list of articles and Special Issues that we believe may be of interest to you:

The list of relevant papers can be seen below:

1. “CAR-T Cell Therapies in B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: Emerging Data and Open Issues”
by Caterina Alati, Martina Pitea, Matteo Molica, Luca Scalise, Gaetana Porto, Erica Bilardi, Giuseppe Lazzaro, Maria Caterina Micò, Marta Pugliese, Filippo Antonio Canale et al.
Cancers 2025, 17(18), 3027; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17183027
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/18/3027

2. “Next-Generation Therapies in Mantle Cell Lymphoma (MCL): The Evolving Landscape in Treatment of Relapse/Refractory After CAR-T Cells”
by Elia Boccellato, Lorenzo Comba, Rita Tavarozzi, Claudia Castellino, Myriam Foglietta, Daniele Mattei, Marco Ladetto, Massimo Massaia and Alessia Castellino
Cancers 2025, 17(13), 2239; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17132239
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/13/2239

3. “Neoadjuvant, Perioperative, and Adjuvant Immunotherapy in Early-Stage Surgically Resectable Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Updates and Future Perspectives”
by Diamone Gathers, Cameron Oswalt, Laura Alder, Kevin Chen, Jordyn P. Higgins, Jeffrey M. Clarke and Eziafa I. Oduah
Cancers 2025, 17(13), 2077; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17132077
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/13/2077

4. “Immunotherapy for High-Grade Gliomas”
by Nishika Karbhari, Kelsey M. Frechette, Terry C. Burns, Ian F. Parney, Jian L. Campian, William G. Breen, Ugur T. Sener and Eric J. Lehrer
Cancers 2025, 17(11), 1849; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17111849
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/11/1849

5. “Management of Triple M Syndrome: A Narrative Review of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor-Induced Myasthenia Gravis, Myositis and Myocarditis”
by Martin Furlepa, Isabella Watts and Aisling S. Carr
Cancers 2025, 17(13), 2063; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17132063
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/13/2063

6. “Immunohistochemistry for Skin Cancers: A Comprehensive Approach to the Diagnosis of Squamous Cell Carcinoma”
by Vlad-Mihai Voiculescu, Radu-Marian Marinescu, Sorin Dutulescu and Florica Stăniceanu
Cancers 2025, 17(10), 1629; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17101629
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/10/1629

7. “From Spice to Survival: The Emerging Role of Curcumin in Cancer Immunotherapy”
by Jacob M. Parker, Lei Zhao, Trenton G. Mayberry, Braydon C. Cowan, Mark R. Wakefield and Yujiang Fang
Cancers 2025, 17(15), 2491; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17152491
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/15/2491

8. “The Quest for Non-Invasive Diagnosis: A Review of Liquid Biopsy in Glioblastoma”
by Maria George Elias, Harry Hadjiyiannis, Fatemeh Vafaee, Kieran F. Scott, Paul de Souza, Therese M. Becker and Shadma Fatima
Cancers 2025, 17(16), 2700; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17162700
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/16/2700

Special Issues:

1. “Cellular Immunotherapy for Leukemias—Advances, Limitations, and the Path Forward” Guest Editors: Dr. Lohith Gowda and Prof. Dr. Stuart E. Seropian Submission deadline: 30 June 2026	2. “Exploring Immunotherapy in Colorectal Cancer” Guest Editors: Dr. Alessandro Passardi and Dr. Luca Esposito Submission deadline: 30 June 2026
3. “Myeloma and Immunology”  Guest Editor: Dr. Cristina João Submission deadline: 30 June 2026	4. “Gene Regulation and Immune Checkpoints in Cancer Immunotherapy: Mechanisms and Therapeutic Opportunities” Guest Editor: Dr. Mohanraj Sadasivam Submission deadline: 30 June 2026

We had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Miguel Esperança-Martins, the first and corresponding author of an Editor’s Choice Article in Cancers (ISSN: 2072-6694). Here, he shares insights into his paper, research focus, area of expertise and insights.

“Transcriptomic-Based Classification Identifies Prognostic Subtypes and Therapeutic Strategies in Soft Tissue Sarcomas”
by Miguel Esperança-Martins, Hugo Vasques, Manuel Sokolov Ravasqueira, Maria Manuel Lemos, Filipa Fonseca, Diogo Coutinho, Jorge Antonio López, Richard S. P. Huang, Sérgio Dias, Lina Gallego-Paez et al.
Cancers 2025, 17(17), 2861; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17172861
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/17/2861

The following is an interview with Dr. Esperança-Martins.

1. Could you briefly introduce yourself and describe your main research focus?

I am a medical oncologist, an academic and a researcher devoted to sarcomas. The whole team and I who worked on this paper are involved in work at the interface of oncology, computational biology and translational and clinical medicine. We have a particular interest in molecular profiling studies using state-of-the-art multi-omics approaches and in traditional and emerging machine learning models, such as foundation and other generative models. Ultimately, we aim to understand how the use of cutting-edge analytical models to examine granular molecular data can refine sarcoma classification, prognostication and treatment personalization. Our work focuses on integrating genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, metabolomic and clinical data to better capture clinically meaningful molecular patterns in sarcomas. The broader goal is to help translate complex molecular data into practical tools that can improve patient stratification and support more precise and personalized treatment decisions for sarcomas.

2. In your own words, what are the key findings or main messages of your Editor’s Choice Article?

Firstly, it is crucial to highlight that soft tissue sarcomas' histopathological classification has several conceptual caveats, being indirect, non-specific and prone to errors. The inaccuracy and complexity of this histopathological classification system directly impact prognosis estimation precision, affect therapeutic management and, by adding fragmentation and heterogeneity to sarcoma rarity, hamper drug discovery and drug development in sarcomas. Moreover, current gold-standard clinical (of which the SARCULATOR nomograms are the epitome)- and molecular (of which CINSARC is the best example)-based prognostication tools also display specific methodological limitations.

We conducted a clinically driven molecular profiling study of soft tissue sarcomas, whose data was analyzed using machine learning models with the objective to increase prognostication accuracy and to identify novel molecular targets. More specifically, we undertook the following:

• Novel Cohort and Multi-Omics Profiling: We assembled a novel cohort of over 100 high-grade soft tissue sarcoma samples and performed DNA-seq and RNA-seq to profile 3 of the most common soft tissue sarcoma subtypes (leiomyosarcoma, dedifferentiated liposarcoma and undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma).
• Unsupervised Machine Learning Analysis: RNA-seq data was analyzed using unsupervised machine learning models (consensus clustering), uncovering previously unknown molecular patterns and identifying four distinct transcriptomic subtypes with clear prognostic value (notable overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) estimating capacity).
• Superior Prognostic Value: Our transcriptomic subtype-based classification outperforms both currently employed clinical-based tools (SARCULATOR nomograms) and gold-standard molecular-based methods (CINSARC) in prognostic accuracy (superior OS predictive capability than SARCULATOR and CINSARC and superior DFS predictive capability than CINSARC), being one of the first molecular-based classifications capable of predicting OS in soft tissue sarcomas. These findings have been externally validated using the TCGA-SARC cohort.
• Actionable Molecular Targets: DNA-seq analysis revealed unique and previously unreported molecular targets across transcriptomic subtypes, highlighting potential opportunities for precision treatment.
• Innovative and Impactful: This new classification system not only provides superior prognostic value but also identifies novel molecular targets for precision treatment. It represents a cutting-edge tool for predicting prognosis and guiding treatment across different stages of soft tissue sarcomas.

Overall, our paper supports the idea that sarcoma classification should evolve from a primarily morphology-based system toward a more dynamic, molecularly informed framework.

We face it as the first layer of a broader precision sarcoma framework: a transcriptomic classifier that can now be expanded into a multi-omics AI-driven platform for prognostication, target discovery and treatment selection.

3. What current developments in your area of expertise are most exciting to you?

The most exciting developments in sarcoma research lie in the rapid expansion of a panoply of increasingly sensitive multi-omics profiling techniques, their exquisite dynamic integration, the development of specialized AI-driven analytical methods and the explosion of AI-driven generative frameworks.

Sarcomas are rare and highly heterogeneous neoplasms, and traditional histopathological classification does not always capture their biological complexity. New genomic tools, including whole-genome sequencing, long-read sequencing, copy-number profiling and mutational signature analysis, are helping us to identify structural variants, fusion events, DNA repair defects and actionable alterations with much higher resolution. At the transcriptomic level, bulk RNA-seq, single-cell RNA-seq and spatial transcriptomics are allowing us to define sarcoma cell states, immune microenvironments and molecular subtypes that may cut across classical histological categories. Proteomics and phosphoproteomics also provide a functional view of pathway activation, kinase signaling and druggable vulnerabilities that may not be evident from DNA or RNA alone. In parallel, metabolomics and lipidomics can reveal altered metabolic dependencies, such as changes in redox balance, amino acid metabolism, lipid signaling and, interestingly, patterns of mitochondrial activity, which may open new therapeutic opportunities.

Traditional machine learning models, such as random forests, XGBoost, survival models and clustering algorithms (among others), remain very useful for prognostication, biomarker discovery and patient stratification. At the same time, emerging foundation (and other generative) models in pathology, genomics, single-cell biology, protein structure and chemistry may help predict molecular subtypes from routine histology, infer gene and pathway perturbations, prioritize therapeutic targets and support in silico drug screening or molecule generation. Globally, there is a whole spectrum of brand-new tools, from lab-in-the-loop models to virtual cell models and in silico perturbation screens, that truly allow us to complete the loop from the patient to a tailored drug design.

I truly believe that the future of sarcoma research will depend on combining multi-omics characterization with interpretable machine-learning-based models, so that we can move from descriptive classification toward mechanism-based prognosis, rational drug discovery and more personalized treatment strategies. The aim has to be centered on molecule generation, via a refined integration of all different modalities.

Ultimately, new types of computing that simulate interactions and mechanisms in atom-level detail will be game changers for cancer research across all the different cancer subtypes.

4. What were the biggest challenges you encountered during this study, and how did you overcome them?

It is invariably difficult to carry out molecular profiling studies of soft tissue sarcomas (rare and highly heterogenous neoplasms) comprising a significant number of samples and a proper representation of the different histotypes. We opted to undertake a retrospective study including a significant number of samples of a well-selected array of the most common subtypes of high-grade soft tissue sarcomas from a single European reference center to overcome some of these conceptual hurdles. It is also hard to have access and to integrate a balanced number of primary tumor and metastases samples and/or to include paired primary and metastases samples, a caveat that is more rigorously tackled by prospective, multicentric, homogenously designed collaborations that follow common samples collection protocols across institutions. We are actively carrying out a coordinated prospective (paired) sample collection across different sarcoma reference centers in Portugal. This also ensures a homogenization of the chronological ages of samples and a harmonized collection of paired fresh tissue and paraffin-embedded samples, a measure that diminishes the heterogeneity in terms of the degree of degradation and of the quality of the biological material for molecular profiling analysis. Finally, the lack of availability of either non-targeted or targeted sequencing tests composed of gene sets whose differential expression profile is characteristic of soft tissue sarcomas is also a limitation that is difficult to cover.

5. How do you see this research evolving or influencing future studies in the field?

This paper establishes a starting framework and is the molecular anchor that still needs to be expanded into a multi-omics, AI-driven sarcoma discovery platform.

The newly identified transcriptomic subtype-based classification, transcriptomic subtypes and transcriptomic subtypes' intrinsic prognostic and predictive value have to be externally validated in larger and different multicentric cohorts other than TCGA-SARC (especially cohorts and datasets whose genomics/transcriptomics profiling was achieved through the employment of sarcoma-specific gene panels).

We have shown that gene expression is able to stratify subtypes and inform therapeutic strategies, reinforcing the idea that technology advances, both in sequencing technologies paired with computational biology methods to harness this data, are the future.

Moreover, it is crucial to build a multi-omics map of sarcoma states, employing state-of-the-art genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics analytical tools and integrating all the data generated by them.

Then, it is fundamental to identify subtype-specific vulnerabilities (using ML and network-specific techniques), to translate into drug discovery (using in silico models, virtual screening, foundation models and generative molecule design) and, finally, to validate everything experimentally.

We recently had the privilege of speaking with Dr. Qingxiang Lin, a postdoctoral fellow at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. Below, he shares insights into his academic journey, research focus, and the motivation behind this landmark study.

1. Could you briefly introduce yourself and your main research focus?
   I am a postdoctoral fellow at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. With training in pharmacology and biophysics, my research focuses on understanding how tumors develop resistance to targeted therapies and leveraging this knowledge to identify “Achilles’ heels” that can be targeted with novel drug combinations to maximize therapeutic response. Ultimately, my goal is to translate these discoveries into clinical applications that improve outcomes for cancer patients.
2. What current developments in your area of expertise are most exciting to you?
   One of the most exciting developments is the emergence of KRAS-targeted therapies. For decades, KRAS was considered “undruggable”, but recent clinical advances have demonstrated that direct targeting of mutant KRAS is feasible and can produce meaningful clinical responses. This represents a major paradigm shift for pancreatic cancer therapeutics.
   At the same time, these advances have also highlighted a major clinical challenge: therapeutic resistance. While some patients initially respond to KRAS inhibitors, tumors frequently adapt through diverse mechanisms, including pathway reactivation, tumor plasticity, and transcriptional reprogramming. Understanding how these resistant states emerge and how to detect them early are the most important questions in the field right now.
   What excites me most is the opportunity to integrate systems pharmacology, cancer biology, and translational research to develop rational combination therapies and predictive biomarkers that can prolong and deepen patient responses. I believe the next phase of the field will move beyond simply inhibiting KRAS toward anticipating and overcoming resistance in a clinically actionable way.
3. What do you think made your research stand out—the scientific novelty, the clarity of the story, the visual presentation, or something else?
   I feel that I am fortunate to be appreciated by the pharmacology community with the conceptual combination of being deeply patient-oriented and strongly hypothesis-driven. I always start from a clear clinical problem and then work backward to define mechanistic, testable hypotheses rather than just blindly generating descriptive datasets. This keeps the science focused and translationally relevant. At the same time, I try to build a coherent story that connects mechanistic insights to potential clinical decision endpoints, so the storytelling narrative is easy to follow for layman readers, and it is clinically meaningful. I also emphasize clarity in both the conceptual framework and data presentation, making it accessible to both basic scientists and clinician audiences. Finally, I bring in a systems-level and quantitative perspective, treating cancer as a dynamic, evolving engineered system. This, combined with a patient-centered mindset, helps integrate novelty with real clinical impact rather than purely incremental findings.
4. How do you feel about receiving this award?
   I’m very honored to receive the ASPET travel award sponsored by MDPI. This meeting provides an excellent platform to present my work in both oral and poster formats to a broad scientific audience, and to engage in meaningful discussions with the pharmacology community. I’m also particularly excited about the opportunity to attend the scientific sessions and career development workshops, which offer valuable insights into emerging research directions as well as guidance on career planning, mentorship, and transitioning to independent positions. Overall, it’s a great meeting point for scientific exchange, feedback, and professional growth that I would highly recommend researchers at any stage to attend this meeting, and you will not regret your decision.
5. What advice would you give to early-career researchers aiming to make an impact in oncology?
   A good way to build an impactful career in oncology is to stay anchored to patients while being intellectually fearless in your science. The most meaningful advances come from addressing real clinical bottlenecks rather than following trends. Strong hypothesis-driven research remains essential, but it should be paired with continuous critical thinking: actively challenging your own assumptions, considering alternative mechanisms, and stress-testing your conclusions across models and contexts. This mindset helps turn observations into robust, generalizable insights rather than isolated findings.
   It is also increasingly important to view cancer through a systems and engineering angle. Tumors are not linear pathways but dynamic, adaptive systems with feedback loops, redundancy, and emergent behavior. Thinking in terms of networks, control, feedback and system responses to perturbations can help you better understand why therapies fail and how to tackle the problems. This perspective aligns naturally with quantitative and translational approaches.
   New technologies are powerful enablers of this way of thinking. However, technology should serve well-posed biological and clinical questions, not drive them. Developing a clear niche where you build deep expertise, while collaborating across disciplines, is essential for long-term impact. Ultimately, sustained success in oncology comes from combining rigor, curiosity, critical thinking, and a systems-level view of cancer as a complex, adaptive biological system.
6. What are your views on the scientific publishing landscape and the open access model?
   The scientific publishing landscape is undergoing a major shift, with open access (OA) publishing becoming increasingly central. On the positive side, OA greatly improves accessibility and equity by allowing researchers, clinicians, and even patients worldwide to access scientific findings without paywalls. This is particularly important in fields like oncology, where faster and broader dissemination of results can accelerate translational impact and clinical relevance. It also enhances visibility and citation of work, and aligns with the broader push toward transparency and open science.
   At the same time, the OA model also introduces challenges. The author-pays structure can create financial pressure on trainees in developing countries and less well-funded groups, inadvertently running counter to our initial aim of eliminating privileges and inequities. Overall, while I view open access as a positive and inevitable direction for science, it still requires strong quality control, fair funding mechanisms, and careful attention to maintaining scientific rigor.
7. What role do you think journals should play in amplifying early-career researchers’ work?
   Journals play a critical role not only as venues for publication, but as active amplifiers of early-career researchers’ visibility and career development. One effective approach is to establish dedicated awards or recognitions specifically for trainees and early-stage investigators, highlighting their scientific originality, rigor, and translational potential. These could be complemented by features such as invited interviews, “rising star” spotlights, and curated collections that place early-career work in a broader scientific context. Initiatives like MDPI travel awards already demonstrate how recognition tied to conference participation can help broaden exposure and build international visibility for young scientists. As an MDPI travel grant awardee, I sincerely appreciate the sponsorship by MDPI to support my career development at ASPET.
   Beyond recognition, journals could further support early-career researchers by strengthening global scientific networks. This includes facilitating cross-institutional and cross-country collaborations through editorially curated forums, virtual symposia, and mentorship-linked publications that connect trainees with established investigators. This can be collaborating with the scientific communities as a partnership. A more inclusive model would also prioritize engagement with researchers from developing countries, ensuring that high-quality science is visible regardless of institutional resources. This kind of global integration helps diversify scientific perspectives and strengthens the overall research ecosystem.
   Finally, journals could consider more direct incentives that reduce barriers to publication, such as publication fee discounts or waivers when the first author is a trainee awardee or from developing countries. While maintaining rigorous peer review standards, such policies would acknowledge the financial constraints often faced by early-career researchers and encourage submission of high-quality work that might otherwise be delayed or submitted elsewhere. Combined, these measures would shift journals from passive gatekeepers to active partners in cultivating the next generation of scientific leaders.
8. Our journal has always been committed to promoting high-quality research in cancer research. Would you be interested in working with us? What kind of support would be most helpful for you in that process? Would you be interested in contributing? If so, what topic or angle would you be most excited to write about?
   I appreciate the journal’s continued commitment to supporting high-quality cancer research and advancing the field. I would be very open to engaging more closely with MDPI journals whose scope aligns with my work in translational oncology and therapy.
   Beyond authorship, I would also be glad to contribute as an active reviewer and, if appropriate, participate in Editorial or Advisory Board activities. I am also flexible in supporting the community through organizing Special Issues, thematic series, or scientific events that bring together complementary work across labs and disciplines. In particular, I am willing to help select the travel awardees for ASPET or else if MDPI decides to sponsor next year. These kinds of efforts are valuable for fostering collaboration and improving visibility of emerging areas.
   For dissemination, I also actively share research outputs through academic and professional networks and would be happy to help amplify published work via social media channels. If future opportunities arise where my research in cancer therapeutics aligns well with the journal’s scope, I would certainly consider submitting to MDPI journals such as Cancers and Onco.

Editor's Choice Articles are selected based on suggestions from Cancers’ Academic Editors worldwide. The Editors select a small number of recently published articles that they consider particularly interesting to our readers or important in their respective fields of research. You are welcome to read the 2025 Editor’s Choice Articles and Special Issues related to cancer biomarkers. The full list of Editor's Choice Articles can be viewed at the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/cancers/editors_choice.

The list of relevant papers can be seen below:

“Methylation Analyses in Liquid Biopsy of Lung Cancer Patients: A Novel and Intriguing Approach Against Resistance to Target Therapies and Immunotherapies”
by Domenico Trombetta, Marco Donatello Delcuratolo, Federico Pio Fabrizio, Francesco Delli Muti, Antonio Rossi, Antonella Centonza, Francesco Pio Guerra, Angelo Sparaneo, Michele Piazzolla, Paola Parente et al.
Cancers 2025, 17(18), 3021; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17183021
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/18/3021

“Immune Biomarkers for Checkpoint Blockade in Solid Tumors: Transitioning from Tissue to Peripheral Blood Monitoring and Future Integrated Strategies”
by Ioannis P. Trontzas and Konstantinos N. Syrigos
Cancers 2025, 17(16), 2639; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17162639
Available online: https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17162639

“Repurposing the Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors Targeting FGFR and VEGFR Pathways for Cancer Therapy: A Comprehensive Review”
by Sergei Boichuk and Tatyana Gessel
Cancers 2025, 17(20), 3354; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17203354
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/20/3354

“Decision-Making Biomarkers Guiding Therapeutic Strategies in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: From Prediction to Personalized Care”
by Dongming Liu and Norihiro Imai
Cancers 2025, 17(19), 3105; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17193105
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/19/3105

“Bridging Discovery and Treatment: Cancer Biomarker”
by Hengrui Liu, Ilayda Karsidag, Rebecca Golin and Guangzhen Wu
Cancers 2025, 17(22), 3720; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17223720
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/22/3720

“The Role of Epigenetic Biomarkers as Diagnostic, Predictive and Prognostic Factors in Colorectal Cancer”
by Zuzanna Chilimoniuk, Konrad Gładysz, Natalia Moniczewska, Katarzyna Chawrylak, Zuzanna Pelc and Radosław Mlak
Cancers 2025, 17(16), 2632; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17162632
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/16/2632

Special Issues:

“Liquid Biopsy Innovation: From ctDNA to RNA Modifications in Genitourinary Cancers”
Guest Editors: Dr. Edoardo Francini, Dr. Giuseppe Fanelli and Dr. Jacopo Venturini
Submission deadline: 31 August 2026

“Emerging Biomarkers for Precision Oncology in Gastrointestinal Cancers”
Guest Editor: Dr. Alessandro Ottaiano
Submission deadline: 1 October 2026

“Advancing Precision Oncology: From Biomarker Discovery to Clinical Validation”
Guest Editors: Prof. Dr. Manoj Pandey and Dr. Ruhi Dixit
Submission deadline: 20 October 2026

“Emerging Biomarkers for Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Sensitivity and Resistance in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer”
Guest Editor: Dr. Minglei Zhuo
Submission deadline: 20 April 2027

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

Editor's Choice Articles are selected based on suggestions from Cancers’ Academic Editors worldwide. The Editors select a small number of recently published articles that they consider particularly interesting to our readers or important in their respective fields of research. You are welcome to read the 2025 Editor’s Choice Articles related to Systematic Review or Meta-Analysis in Cancer Research. The full list of Editor's Choice Articles can be viewed at the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/cancers/editors_choice.

The list of relevant papers can be seen below:

“Characteristics and Treatment of Primary Hepatic Perivascular Epithelioid Cell Tumor (PEComa) in Adults: A Systematic Review”
by Konstantinos Papantoniou,  Ioanna Aggeletopoulou,  Maria Kalafateli and Christos Triantos
Cancers 2025, 17(14), 2276; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17142276
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/14/2276

“Quality of Life in Rectal Cancer Treatments: An Updated Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials (2013–2023)”
by Silvia Negro, Francesca Bergamo, Lorenzo Dell’Atti, Alessandra Anna Prete, Sara Galuppo,
Marco Scarpa, Quoc Riccardo Bao, Stefania Ferrari, Sara Lonardi, Gaya Spolverato et al.
Cancers 2025, 17(14), 2310; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17142310
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/14/2310

“The Roles of Tripartite Motif Proteins in Urological Cancers: A Systematic Review”
by Yuta Yamada, Naoki Kimura, Kazuki Maki, Yuji Hakozaki, Fumihiko Urabe, Shoji Kimura,
Tetsuya Fujimura, Satoshi Inoue and Haruki Kume
Cancers 2025, 17(14), 2367; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17142367
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/14/2367

“Oncological Efficacy and Safety of Minimally Invasive Focal and Whole-Gland Interventions in the Treatment of Low- and Intermediate-Risk Prostate Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis”
by Benjamin Skribek, Anett Szabó, Júlia Ács, Bianca Golzio Navarro Cavalcante, Boglárka Dorina Sipos, Péter Hegyi, Péter Mátrai, Péter Nyirády, Nándor Ács, Attila Majoros and Pál Ákos Deák
Cancers 2025, 17(17), 2863; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17172863
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/17/2863

“Clinical and Molecular Characterization of Myeloid Sarcoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis”
by Dakshin Sitaram Padmanabhan, Jeff Justin Aguilar, Sushmitha Nanja Reddy, Asmita Shukla,
Vikram Dhillon, Sikander Chohan, Anisha Rajavel, Razan Alhaddad, Ella Hu, Janaka S. S. Liyanage, Jay Yang et al.
Cancers 2025, 17(24), 3975; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17243975
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/24/3975

“The Diagnostic Yield of Cerebrospinal Fluid Analysis for the Diagnosis of Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma: A Systematic Review”
by Josephus L. M. van Rooij, Tom J. Snijders, Prerana Bhande, Tatjana Seute, Monique C. Minnema and Peter H. Wessels
Cancers 2025, 17(14), 2352; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17142352
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/14/2352

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

We are delighted to share a collection of highly viewed papers on cancer causes, screening and diagnosis that were published in Cancers (ISSN: 2072-6694) in 2025. In addition, some Special Issues on this topic are currently open for submission. The following is a list of articles and Special Issues that we believe may be of interest to you:

The list of relevant papers can be seen below:

1. “Fatty Pancreas: Its Potential as a Risk Factor for Pancreatic Cancer and Clinical Implications”
by Nao Otsuka, Yutaka Shimamatsu, Ryunosuke Hakuta, Yukiko Takayama and Yousuke Nakai
Cancers 2025, 17(11), 1765; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17111765
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/11/1765

2. “Endobronchial Ultrasound Access to Pulmonary Vasculature in Thoracic Malignancy”
by Evangelia Koukaki, Nektarios Anagnostopoulos, Aikaterini Bakiri, Stavroula Zaneli and Grigorios Stratakos
Cancers 2025, 17(4), 616; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17040616
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/4/616

3. “Breath Insights: Advancing Lung Cancer Early-Stage Detection Through AI Algorithms in Non-Invasive VOC Profiling Trials”
by Bernardo S. Raimundo, Pedro M. Leitão, Manuel Vinhas, Maria V. Pires, Laura B. Quintas, Catarina Carvalheiro, Rita Barata, Joana Ip, Ricardo Coelho, Sofia Granadeiro et al.
Cancers 2025, 17(10), 1685; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17101685
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/10/1685

4. “Outcomes in Patients with Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer with Brain Metastases: A Real-World Data Study from a Resource-Limited Country”
by Nevena Randjelovic, Marina Petronijevic, Marina Calamac, Marija Peulic, Biljana Filipovic, Vladan Mutavdzic, Aleksandar Djuric, Teodora Rankovic, Milos Bugarcic, Ivana Canak et al.
Cancers 2025, 17(10), 1603; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17101603
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/10/1603

5. “The Efficacy of First-Line Pembrolizumab Monotherapy in Patients with Metastatic NSCLC Aged ≥70 Years with High PD-L1 (TPS ≥ 50%) Expression: A Multicenter Real-World Study”
by Filip Marković, Maximilian Hochmair, Nino Müser, Hannah Fabikan, Vania Mikaela Rodriguez, Urska Janzic, Mihailo Stjepanović and Milica Kontić
Cancers 2025, 17(13), 2190; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17132190
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/13/2190

6. “Neoadjuvant 177Lutetium-PSMA-617 Radioligand Therapy for High-Risk Localized Prostate Cancer: Rationale, Early Clinical Evidence, and Future Directions”
by Whi-An Kwon and Jae Young Joung
Cancers 2025, 17(20), 3330; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17203330
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/20/3330

7. “Clinical Outcomes of Cervical Adenocarcinoma In Situ According to Conservative or Demolitive Treatment: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis”
by Giovanni Delli Carpini, Camilla Cicoli, Marco Bernardi, Jacopo Di Giuseppe, Luca Giannella and Andrea Ciavattini
Cancers 2025, 17(11), 1839; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17111839
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/11/1839

8. “Utility of Polygenic Risk Scores (PRSs) in Predicting Pancreatic Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Common-Variant and Mixed Scores with Insights into Rare Variant Analysis”
by Georgios Ioannis Verras, Zaed Z. Hamady, Andrew Collins and William Tapper
Cancers 2025, 17(2), 241; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17020241
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/2/241

Special Issues:

1. “Clinical Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prognosis of Uveal Melanoma”
Guest Editor: Dr. Josep Maria Caminal Mitjana
Submission deadline: 30 June 2026

2. “Applications of Ex Vivo Microscopy in Cancer Detection and Diagnosis”
Guest Editor: Dr. Jonathan Quincy Brown
Submission deadline: 30 June 2026

3. “Advances in Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor-Driven Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: Diagnostic Technologies and Therapeutic Strategies”
Guest Editor: Dr. Fang Wei
Submission deadline: 30 June 2026

4. “Advances in Breast Cancer Imaging: From Detection to Personalized Diagnosis” 
Guest Editors: Dr. Nuno Matela and Dr. Ana Margarida Mota
Submission deadline: 30 June 2026

Editor’s Choice Articles are selected based on suggestions from Cancers’ Academic Editors worldwide. The Editors select a small number of recently published articles that they consider particularly interesting to our readers or important in their respective fields of research. You are welcome to read the Editor's Choice Articles and Special Issues related to cancer epidemiology and prevention, a curated list of high-quality articles from 2025 in Cancers (ISSN: 2072-6694).

The list of relevant papers can be seen below:

“A Scoping Review of Primary Breast Cancer Risk Reduction Strategies in East and Southeast Asia”
by Filipa Alpeza, Christine Kim Yan Loo, Qingyuan Zhuang, Mikael Hartman, Serene Si Ning Goh and Jingmei Li
Cancers 2025, 17(2), 168; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17020168
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/2/168

“Understanding Cervical Cancer Screening Attendance: Barriers and Facilitators in a Representative Population Survey”
by Bogdan Florin Covaliu, Alina Ioana Forray, Mirela Tomic, Cătălin Vlad, Patriciu Achimaș Cadariu,
Carmen Ungurean and Adriana Melnic
Cancers 2025, 17(4), 706; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17040706
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/4/706

“Partial Cystectomy for Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer”
by Peter S. Palencia, Nethusan Sivanesan, Syed Rahman, Fady Ghali, David Hesse, John Colberg, Ashwin Sridhar, John D. Kelly, Byron H. Lee, Ashish M. Kamat et al.
Cancers 2025, 17(15), 2562; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17152562
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/15/2562

“Impact of Small Area Level Deprivation on Colorectal Cancer Survival: Findings from the Regional Cancer Registry in Korea”
by Seung Min Hong, Ahreum Kim, Changhoon Kim, Seunghye Jang, Dong Uk Kim, Dong Hoon Baek, Seung Hun Lee, Yu Hyeon Yi, Heeseung Park, Jonghyun Lee et al.
Cancers 2025, 17(4), 567; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17040567
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/4/567

“Colorectal Cancer Risk Following Herpes Zoster Reactivation in COVID-19 Survivors: Global Multicenter Study Using TriNetX”
by Tzung-Ju Lu, Chien-Lin Lu, Joshua Wang, Kuo-Wang Tsai, I-Hung Chen and Kuo-Cheng Lu
Cancers 2025, 17(14), 2306; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17142306
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/14/2306

Special Issues:

“Gastrointestinal Tumors: Prevention, Screening and Predictive Analytics”
Guest Editors: Dr. Mohamed I. Elsaid, Prof. Dr. Electra D. Paskett and Prof. Dr. Vinod Rustgi
Submission deadline: 1 June 2026

“What’s Behind the Scenes? New Insights in Endometrial Cancer Management and Risk Stratification (2nd Edition)”
Guest Editor: Dr. Emanuele Perrone
Submission deadline: 31 May 2026

“Urological Cancer: Epidemiology and Genetics”
Guest Editors: Dr. Ilir Agalliu and Dr. Evan Kovac
Submission deadline: 30 June 2026

“Human Carcinogens—New Insights from Occupational Exposure”
Guest Editors: Dr. Enrico Oddone and Dr. Roberta Pernetti
Submission deadline: 30 June 2026

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

We are delighted to share some Editor’s Choice Articles related to cancer informatics and big data that were published in Cancers (ISSN: 2072-6694) in 2025. 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.

“Histological Image Classification Between Follicular Lymphoma and Reactive Lymphoid Tissue Using Deep Learning and Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI)”
by Joaquim Carreras, Haruka Ikoma, Yara Yukie Kikuti, Shunsuke Nagase, Atsushi Ito, Makoto Orita,
Sakura Tomita, Yuki Tanigaki, Naoya Nakamura and Yohei Masugi
Cancers 2025, 17(15), 2428; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17152428
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/15/2428

“Decoding the JAK-STAT Axis in Colorectal Cancer with AI-HOPE-JAK-STAT: A Conversational Artificial Intelligence Approach to Clinical–Genomic Integration”
by Ei-Wen Yang, Brigette Waldrup and Enrique Velazquez-Villarreal
Cancers 2025, 17(14), 2376; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17142376
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/14/2376

“Robust Permutation Test of Intraclass Correlation Coefficient for Assessing Agreement”
by Mengyu Fang,  Alan David Hutson and Han Yu
Cancers 2025, 17(16), 2713; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17162713
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/16/2713

“Optimizing One-Sample Tests for Proportions in Single- and Two-Stage Oncology Trials”
by Alan David Hutson
Cancers 2025, 17(15), 2570; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17152570
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/15/2570

“MRI-Based Radiomics for Outcome Stratification in Pediatric Osteosarcoma”
by Esther Ngan, Dolores Mullikin, Ashok J. Theruvath, Ananth V. Annapragada, Ketan B. Ghaghada, Andras A. Heczey and Zbigniew A. Starosolski
Cancers 2025, 17(15), 2586; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17152586
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/15/2586

Special Issues:

“Advances in Cancer Biostatistics”
Guest Editor: Dr. Seongho Kim
Submission deadline: 31 December 2026

“Omics Data for Cancer Therapies: From Molecular Profiling to Clinical Applications”
Guest Editor: Dr. Luciano Cascione
Submission deadline: 31 October 2026

“Deep Learning in Cancer Imaging and Diagnosis”
Guest Editors:  Dr. Marko Radulovic
Submission deadline: 31 August 2026

“Multi-Omics Data Integration and Bioinformatics Tools in Oncology”
Guest Editors: Dr. Tongjun Gu and Prof. Dr. Wei Zhang
Submission deadline: 20 December 2026

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

We are delighted to share some Editor’s Choice Articles related to methods and technologies development that were published in Cancers (ISSN: 2072-6694) in 2025. 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.

“The Flow Cytometric Evaluation of B- and T-Lymphoblastic Leukemia/Lymphoma”
by David M. Dorfman
Cancers 2025, 17(7), 1111; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17071111
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/7/1111

“Nanoparticle-Based Delivery Strategies for Combating Drug Resistance in Cancer Therapeutics”
by Seohyun Park, Guo-Liang Lu, Yi-Chao Zheng, Emma K. Davison and Yan Li
Cancers 2025, 17(16), 2628; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17162628
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/16/2628

“Colorectal Cancer Detection Through Sweat Volatilome Using an Electronic Nose System and GC-MS Analysis”
by Cristhian Manuel Durán Acevedo, Jeniffer Katerine Carrillo Gómez, Gustavo Adolfo Bautista Gómez, José Luis Carrero Carrero and Rogelio Flores Ramírez
Cancers 2025, 17(17), 2742; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17172742
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/17/2742

“Feasibility of Anti-CEA Dye Conjugate for Cancer-Specific Imaging in Gastric Cancer Cell Lines and Mouse Xenograft Models”
by Kyoungyun Jeong, Annie Eunhee Koo, Jaeun Yoo, Ji-Yeon Shin, Leena Lim, Hyun Myong Kim, Ji-Yong Park, Yun-Sang Lee, Yoon-Jin Kwak, Hye Seung Lee et al.
Cancers 2025, 17(17), 2937; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17172937
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/17/2937

“Histotripsy: Recent Advances, Clinical Applications, and Future Prospects”
by Mustaqueem Pallumeera, Marcus Hong, Jonathan C Giang and Mina S Makary
Cancers 2025, 17(18), 3072; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17183072
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/18/3072

“Management Based on Pretreatment PSMA PET of Patients with Localized High-Risk Prostate Cancer Part 2: Prediction of Recurrence—A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis”
by Manuela Andrea Hoffmann, Cigdem Soydal, Irene Virgolini, Murat Tuncel, Kalevi Kairemo, Daniel S. Kapp and Finn Edler von Eyben
Cancers 2025, 17(5), 841; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17050841
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/17/5/841

Special Issues:

“Advances and Challenges in Charged Particle Therapy: Protons and Beyond”
Guest Editor: Dr. Annie W. Chan
Submission deadline: 29 October 2026

“Thermal Analysis and Proteomic Approaches for Biofluid Proteome Profiling in Cancer Diagnostics”
Guest Editor: Dr. Nichola C. Garbett
Submission deadline: 30 November 2026

“Advances in Imaging Techniques of Molecular Oncology (2nd Edition)”
Guest Editor: Prof. Dr. Angela Spanu
Submission deadline: 31 October 2026

“Computational Multi-Omics in Liquid Biopsy: Integrating Tumor and Immune Signals for Precision Oncology”
Guest Editor: Dr. Giovanni Crisafulli
Submission deadline: 31 October 2026

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