Cytokine and Growth Factor Signaling at the Interface between Immune Cells and Cancer
A special issue of Cancers (ISSN 2072-6694). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Cancer Biology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 5 July 2026 | Viewed by 1418
Special Issue Editors
Interests: cytokine signaling; cancer biology; tumor immunology
Interests: immunotherapy; gene and cell therapy; cytokine signaling
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Cytokines and growth factors are essential intercellular messengers that orchestrate the development and homeostasis of organisms and their immune protection against pathogens and cancers. However, cytokines and growth factors can also promote carcinogenesis in multiple ways. As mediators of chronic inflammation and oxidative stress, cytokines can promote cancer initiation and progression. Excessive production of cytokines and growth factors can contribute to cancer cell growth. Furthermore, amplification of cytokine/growth factor receptors and dysregulation of their signaling pathways in cancer cells can reduce their dependency on ligands and even confer ligand-independent growth potential. Blocking antibodies targeting cytokine/growth factor receptors and small-molecule inhibitors disrupting their signaling pathways are part of growing anticancer armamentarium. Cytokines can also modulate the tumor microenvironment and drive immune suppression, contributing to tumor growth. Immune cells that mediate antitumor immunity are also profoundly modulated by cytokines, and cytokines are important arsenals in boosting antitumor immunity and in developing anticancer therapies. Many cancer cell line models, implanted tumor models, chemically induced cancers, and genetically modified mouse models are used to understand the effects of cytokines and growth factors on cancer cell responses and on antitumor immune cell functions. This Special Issue aims to attract reviews and research articles on diverse aspects of cytokine signaling in cancer promotion, the development of therapeutic strategies, and the paradoxical role of cytokines in tumor immune suppression and in boosting antitumor immune responses.
Prof. Dr. Subburaj Ilangumaran
Dr. Seung-Hwan Lee
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
- cytokines
- growth factors
- chemokines
- inflammation
- oncogenic signaling
- cancer initiation
- cancer progression
- tumor microenvironment
- cancer immune suppression
- antitumor immunity
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