Glioma: From Intracellular Oncogenic Pathways to Targeting Therapeutic Strategies
A special issue of Cancers (ISSN 2072-6694). This special issue belongs to the section "Cancer Therapy".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2026 | Viewed by 626
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Gliomas are the most common and aggressive type of primary brain tumors originating from glial cells. This review discusses the molecular mechanisms and intracellular oncogenic pathways driving glioma progression and highlights recent therapeutic advancements. Key oncogenic pathways such as PI3K/AKT/mTOR, MAPK/ERK, and Notch are critically involved in glioma growth, survival, invasion, and treatment resistance. Genetic and epigenetic modifications, including mutations in IDH1/2, EGFR amplification, and methylation of the MGMT promoter, play crucial roles in tumor behavior and patient prognosis. The challenges of developing effective treatments due to glioma’s highly heterogeneous nature and the presence of the blood–brain barrier. Traditional therapies like surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy (e.g., temozolomide) often face limitations due to resistance mechanisms and recurrence. Recent advances include molecularly targeted therapies, such as inhibitors of key pathways (e.g., EGFR inhibitors, PI3K/mTOR inhibitors), immunotherapy approaches (e.g., CAR T-cell therapy, immune checkpoint inhibitors), and novel drug delivery systems like nanocarriers to cross the BBB. Moreover, personalized medicine approaches and combination therapies are emphasized for their potential to enhance treatment efficacy and patient outcomes. Therefore, understanding the intricate molecular landscape of gliomas provides avenues for developing targeted therapeutic strategies aimed at overcoming the current limitations and improving patient prognosis.
This Special Issue aims to explore the complex biology and therapeutic challenges associated with gliomas, focusing on the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying glioma initiation, progression, and resistance to treatment. It also provides a comprehensive understanding of intracellular oncogenic pathways that drive glioma development and highlights the translation of these findings into novel therapeutic strategies.
In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:
- Insights into key signaling pathways and their roles in glioma progression and survival, along with genetic and epigenetic alterations that affect tumor biology and patient prognosis.
- Advances in targeted therapies, immunotherapy strategies including CAR T-cells, vaccines, oncolytic viruses, immune checkpoint inhibitors, and novel drug delivery systems designed to cross the blood–brain barrier.
- Mechanisms leading to treatment resistance and strategies to overcome them.
- Understanding tumor heterogeneity and its impact on therapeutic response.
- Development of personalized treatment regimens based on individual tumor profiles, supported by preclinical and clinical studies focusing on combination therapies and patient-tailored treatments.
Dr. Shilpi Singh
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as 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. Cancers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2900 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
- glioma
- targeted therapies
- resistance mechanisms
- oncogenic pathways
- therapeutic resistance
- combination therapies
- tumor heterogeneity
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