Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
8.8
4.4
Journals
Cancers
Special Issues
Challenges and New Developments in the Diagnosis and Treatment of...
cancers-logo
Submit to Special Issue Submit Abstract to Special Issue Review for Cancers Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

► Journal Menu

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser
share announcement

Challenges and New Developments in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Sarcoma

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 4949

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Xiaolan Feng

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
2. Department of Medical Oncology, Arthur J.E. Child Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Calgary, AB T2N 5G2, Canada
Interests: prognostic and predictive biomarkers; novel therapeutic intervention through genomic and transcriptome sequencing; clinical, translational research, and clinical trials (breast/sarcoma)
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Due to its extreme rarity, heterogeneity, and complexity, sarcoma is considered one of the most challenging diseases and cancers to diagnose and treat, and it therefore presents a poor prognosis in most advanced or metastatic settings. We are currently facing many challenges in the diagnosis and treatment of sarcoma. With the availability of next-generation sequencing technology, novel fusions have been identified, facilitating the evolution of WHO classification, but the biology of these new fusions is not yet understood. Despite the fact that molecular targeted treatments and immunotherapy have revolutionized treatment in the majority of hematological and solid cancer types, they have not yet been applied to sarcoma. The purpose of this Special Issue is to provide opportunities for sarcoma research communities to contribute new ideas and options to promote better diagnosis and treatment in this deadly disease. For this Special Issue, we welcome the submission of reviews and original research articles, with a deadline of 31 December 2025.

Dr. Xiaolan Feng
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 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

  • bone and soft tissue sarcoma
  • prognostic and predictive biomarker
  • transcriptomic/genomic profiling
  • immunotherapy
  • targeted treatment

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

25 pages, 20466 KB  
Article
Exploratory Analysis of Molecular Subtypes in Early-Stage Osteosarcoma: Identifying Resistance and Optimizing Therapy
by Luka Bojic, Mina Peric, Jelena Karanovic, Emilija Milosevic, Natasa Kovacevic Grujicic and Milena Milivojevic
Cancers 2025, 17(10), 1677; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17101677 - 16 May 2025
Viewed by 2287
Abstract
Background: Osteosarcoma (OS) is a highly aggressive bone malignancy with limited treatment options and poor prognosis. This exploratory study aimed to identify molecular subtypes of early-stage, treatment-naive OS to guide precise therapeutic strategies. Methods: We analyzed RNA-seq data obtained from tumor tissues from [...] Read more.
Background: Osteosarcoma (OS) is a highly aggressive bone malignancy with limited treatment options and poor prognosis. This exploratory study aimed to identify molecular subtypes of early-stage, treatment-naive OS to guide precise therapeutic strategies. Methods: We analyzed RNA-seq data obtained from tumor tissues from 102 OS patients using a non-negative matrix factorization algorithm (NMF) to classify the tumors into three subtypes: S1, S2, and S3. Differential gene expression was evaluated using DESeq2, followed by functional enrichment analysis with clusterProfiler and CancerHallmarks. The tumor microenvironment was assessed through ESTIMATE and CIBERSORT, and drug sensitivity was predicted using OncoPredict. SAOS-2 and MG63 cells, representing the S1 subtype, were used in the viability essays to determine the effect of hesperidin, a natural phenolic compound noted for its anti-cancer potential, alone and in combination with doxorubicin and 5-fluorouracil. Results: This study revealed three OS subtypes: S1 was enriched in cell cycle regulation, vesicular transport, and RNA metabolism while S2 and S3 were enriched in pathways related to extracellular matrix organization and protein translation, respectively. S1 displayed high tumor purity, significant chemoresistance, and overexpression of KIF20 A, correlating with poor prognosis. AURKB, a hesperidin target, was implicated in S1 pathogenesis. In vitro, hesperidin significantly reduced the viability of SAOS-2 and MG63 cells and enhanced doxorubicin efficacy. Conclusions: Our findings support the molecular subclassification of OS, emphasizing subtype-specific mechanisms of tumor progression and chemoresistance, with hesperidin offering potential as a therapeutic adjunct for high-risk OS patients. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Challenges and New Developments in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Sarcoma)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

15 pages, 2206 KB  
Review
Classic Kaposi Sarcoma: Current Treatment Strategies and Emerging Therapeutic Approaches
by Daniela Revenko, Natali Shirron, Reut Shainer, Emily Avitan-Hersh and Alona Zer
Cancers 2026, 18(6), 1008; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers18061008 - 20 Mar 2026
Viewed by 1394
Abstract
Classic Kaposi sarcoma (CKS) is a rare vascular neoplasm driven by infection with Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) and characterized by a heterogeneous geographic distribution. While the etiology of other Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS) variants is well established, the underlying mechanisms of CKS appear multifactorial, [...] Read more.
Classic Kaposi sarcoma (CKS) is a rare vascular neoplasm driven by infection with Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) and characterized by a heterogeneous geographic distribution. While the etiology of other Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS) variants is well established, the underlying mechanisms of CKS appear multifactorial, with several risk factors, among which advanced age and male sex are most significant. Due to the rarity of CKS and its often indolent clinical course, clinical trials are sparse, and current knowledge of therapeutic approaches remains limited. Most available clinical trials and practice guidelines focus on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) -related Kaposi sarcoma. Therefore, specific recommendations for the classic form are restricted and rely on a low level of evidence, as categorized by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Clinical Practice Guidelines, making disease management more challenging. Current approaches to treating CKS include both local and systemic therapies, selected based on disease stage, patient comorbidities, and individual preferences. Systemic treatment options may include immunotherapy, chemotherapy, or antiangiogenic agents. This review summarizes current management strategies and highlights emerging therapeutic approaches for CKS. It aims to support clinicians in optimizing therapeutic decision-making, including the use of novel and investigational therapies. Although several novel therapies are currently under investigation in clinical trials, significant gaps remain. Therefore, further research is needed to improve disease management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Challenges and New Developments in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Sarcoma)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

10 pages, 220 KB  
Review
“Radiological Grading” for Preoperative Assessment of Central Cartilaginous Tumors
by Shinji Miwa, Katsuhiro Hayashi, Takashi Higuchi, Hirotaka Yonezawa, Sei Morinaga, Yohei Asano and Satoru Demura
Cancers 2026, 18(2), 193; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers18020193 - 7 Jan 2026
Viewed by 652
Abstract
In the treatment of musculoskeletal tumors, surgeons sometimes experience discrepancies in the histological grade between the preoperative biopsy and resected tumor specimen, and the frequency of the histological discrepancies in cartilaginous tumors is higher than that in other bone tumors. For cartilaginous tumors, [...] Read more.
In the treatment of musculoskeletal tumors, surgeons sometimes experience discrepancies in the histological grade between the preoperative biopsy and resected tumor specimen, and the frequency of the histological discrepancies in cartilaginous tumors is higher than that in other bone tumors. For cartilaginous tumors, new diagnostic tools or methods for the prediction of histological grades are required to determine appropriate surgical procedures for each patient. Several radiological findings have been reported to be useful in differentiating benign cartilaginous tumors, atypical cartilaginous tumors/grade 1 chondrosarcomas, and high-grade chondrosarcomas. Furthermore, recent studies have shown the high accuracy of radiological scoring systems that integrate several radiological findings to predict the histological grades of cartilaginous tumors. Radiomics, which converts features in radiological images into quantitative data, enables the comprehensive analysis of cartilaginous tumors. Recent reports suggest that radiological diagnoses are highly reliable compared with preoperative histological diagnoses for predicting the final histological diagnosis. Based on previous reports, “radiological grading,” i.e., the prediction of histological aggressiveness using radiological modalities, can be important for determining the surgical procedure, in addition to “histological grading.” This review article discusses radiological findings, integrated radiological scoring systems, and radiomics-based predictions of histological grades in cartilaginous tumors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Challenges and New Developments in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Sarcoma)
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-3
Back to TopTop