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Cancers
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Diagnosis and Biomarkers for Hematologic Malignancies
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Diagnosis and Biomarkers for Hematologic Malignancies

A special issue of Cancers (ISSN 2072-6694). This special issue belongs to the section "Cancer Biomarkers".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026 | Viewed by 1857

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Luis Colomo

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Guest Editor
Department of Pathology, Hematopathology Section, Hospital del Mar, Institute of Investigacions Mediques-IMIM, Universitat Pompeu Fabra Barcelona, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
Interests: diagnosis in hematological neoplasms; lymphoma; myeloid neoplasms; immunohistochemistry; molecular biology; biomarkers; MYC; LMO2
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Francesco Lanza

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. UO Ematologia, Ospedale S. Maria delle Croci, Via Randi 5, 48121 Ravenna, Italy
2. Department of Medicine and Surgery (DIMEC), University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
Interests: acute myeloid leukemia; acute lymphoblastic leukemia; stem cell transplantation (autologous and allogeneic); novel therapies; stem cell manipulation; cryopreservation and characterization; cell therapy in onco-hematological disorders
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent decades, a profound transformation has occurred in the diagnostic approach to hematological disorders, transitioning from a traditional morphological assessment to sophisticated molecular profiling, with an increasing emphasis on multidisciplinary diagnostic strategies. A meticulous diagnosis is essential for precise prognostic stratification and optimized therapeutic selection. Although a microscopic examination of tissues, blood and bone marrow remains the critical foundational assessment, contemporary diagnostic frameworks are progressively defining hematological entities through the sophisticated exploration of underlying molecular and genetic disease mechanisms.

This Special Issue, entitled “Diagnosis and Biomarkers for Hematologic Malignancies”, aims to highlight novel diagnostic and prognostic tools that could improve the management and treatment of hematological neoplasms.

Dr. Luis Colomo
Prof. Dr. Francesco Lanza
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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

  • hematologic malignancies
  • diagnosis
  • biomarkers

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 2046 KB  
Article
Specific Lipidomic Shifts in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia at Diagnosis
by Julia Wojnicka, Michał Kiełbus, Paulina Mertowska, Sebastian Mertowski, Ewelina Grywalska, Piotr Sosnowski, Alicja Wielgosz, Anna Kozub-Pędrak, Barbara Sosnowska-Pasiarska, Maria Klatka, Janusz Klatka and Anna Błażewicz
Cancers 2026, 18(6), 896; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers18060896 - 10 Mar 2026
Viewed by 586
Abstract
Background: Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most common adult leukemia and is characterized by dysregulated apoptosis and metabolic reprogramming, including alterations in lipid metabolism. However, the plasma lipidome of newly diagnosed, treatment-naïve CLL patients remains insufficiently characterized. This study aimed to define [...] Read more.
Background: Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most common adult leukemia and is characterized by dysregulated apoptosis and metabolic reprogramming, including alterations in lipid metabolism. However, the plasma lipidome of newly diagnosed, treatment-naïve CLL patients remains insufficiently characterized. This study aimed to define disease-specific plasma lipidomic alterations, identify discriminatory lipid species, and investigate associated metabolic pathways. Methods: The study cohort consisted of 41 participants (median age 75 years, range: 40–86), including 30 newly diagnosed, treatment-naïve CLL patients (median age 75 years, range: 40–86) and 11 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (median age 75 years, range: 41–85). Targeted lipidomic profiling was performed on plasma samples using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Data processing was conducted in R using LipidSigR. Statistical analyses employed the Wilcoxon–Mann–Whitney test with Benjamini–Hochberg correction. To address data dimensionality, Boruta machine learning and pathway enrichment analyses were applied. Gene–lipid associations were further explored using GATOm, followed by Metascape analysis to identify enriched biological processes. Results: A total of 124 lipid species from five major classes (phosphatidylcholines, lysophosphatidylcholines, sphingomyelins, ether-linked phosphatidylcholines, and acylcarnitines) were quantified. CLL patients exhibited significant enrichment of acylcarnitines, saturated phosphatidylcholines, and sphingolipids compared with controls. Principal component analysis showed partial separation by disease status. Machine learning identified carnitines and ether-linked phospholipids as key discriminators. Integrated gene–lipid analyses revealed significant enrichment of lipid metabolism-related pathways, particularly glycerolipid and phosphatidylcholine metabolism, as well as lipid catabolism, ether lipid metabolism, and fatty acid metabolism. Conclusions: Treatment-naïve CLL patients display distinct plasma lipidomic signatures indicative of disease-specific metabolic reprogramming. Integrated lipidomic and predictive pathway analyses suggest disruptions in lipid metabolic pathways and highlight carnitines and ether-linked phospholipids as biological markers warranting further investigation as potential CLL biomarkers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diagnosis and Biomarkers for Hematologic Malignancies)
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24 pages, 1582 KB  
Article
Prognostic Value of the CALLY Index in Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma: Linking Inflammation, Nutrition, and Tumor Biology
by Zorica Cvetković, Ilija Bukurecki, Snežana Pejić, Anica Divac Pravdić, Miroslav Pavlović, Vesna Vučić and Olivera Marković
Cancers 2026, 18(5), 846; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers18050846 - 5 Mar 2026
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Abstract
Background/Objectives: Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma and remains incurable in approximately 30–40% of patients despite advances in immunochemotherapy. Although gene expression profiling has improved risk stratification, there is an ongoing need for non-invasive, cost-effective, and [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma and remains incurable in approximately 30–40% of patients despite advances in immunochemotherapy. Although gene expression profiling has improved risk stratification, there is an ongoing need for non-invasive, cost-effective, and clinically practical biomarkers to identify patients at high risk of treatment resistance or relapse (R/R). Systemic inflammation plays a pivotal role in DLBCL pathogenesis, impacting both tumor progression and treatment response. The C-reactive protein–albumin–lymphocyte (CALLY) index, integrating markers of inflammation, nutritional status, and immune competence, has demonstrated prognostic relevance in solid tumors; however, its relevance in hematologic malignancies remains unexplored. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 180 adults with newly diagnosed DLBCL, NOS (not otherwise specified) who received frontline rituximab-based immunochemotherapy (R-CHOP or CHOP-like regimens) between January 2014 and December 2019 at three tertiary centers in Serbia. The median age was 67 years (IQR 59–73), and 56.1% were female. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis determined 6.5 as the optimal CALLY index cut-off (AUC 0.744, 95% CI 0.670–0.817; p < 0.001). Results: A low CALLY index (<6.5) was significantly associated with adverse clinical features, including anemia, elevated lactate dehydrogenase and β2-microglobulin, poor ECOG performance status, bulky disease, advanced stage, and unfavorable IPI, R-IPI, and NCCN-IPI scores (all p < 0.001). In contrast, no associations were observed with tumor subtype, immunophenotype, or comorbidities. Furthermore, patients with CALLY <6.5 showed lower overall response rates to treatment (59.6% vs. 85.5%, p < 0.001) and higher relapse rates (21.0% vs. 6.2%, p = 0.014). They also experienced reduced 3- and 5-year overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS) (all p < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, a low CALLY index independently predicted poorer OS (HR 2.04, 95% CI 1.13–3.67; p = 0.017) and EFS (HR 1.89, 95% CI 1.13–3.14; p = 0.015). In addition, it independently identified patients at risk of relapsed/refractory (R/R) disease (OR 2.50, 95% CI 1.02–10.10; p = 0.04), outperforming standard prognostic indices. Conclusions: The CALLY index is a simple, low-cost, and widely accessible biomarker that independently predicts prognosis in DLBCL, NOS. It outperforms standard indices in identifying R/R cases. The CALLY index may enhance risk stratification and guide individualized treatment strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diagnosis and Biomarkers for Hematologic Malignancies)
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