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Feature Papers in the Section “Cancer Therapy” in 2025-2026

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2026 | Viewed by 7952

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Abdullah Esmail

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Guest Editor

1. Section of Gastrointestinal Oncology—Houston Methodist Neal Cancer Center and Institute of Academic Medicine, 6445 Fannin, OPC-24, Houston, TX 77030, USA
2. Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA
Interests: transplant oncology; liver cancer; cholangiocarcinoma; targeted therapy; immunotherapy
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Dr. Qiang Wang

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Guest Editor

1. Instructor of Cancer Biology in Medicine, Houston Methodist, Academic and Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA
2. Dr. Mary and Ron Neal Cancer Center, Houston Methodist, Houston, TX 77030, USA
Interests: cancer biology; solid cancers; hem-oncology; immunotherapy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Hiroyuki Takei

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Guest Editor

Department of Breast Surgery, Sanno Hospital, 8-10-16 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-0052, Japan
Interests: breast cancer; endocrine therapy; chemotherapy; surgical therapy; tumor angiogenesis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This collection is the second edition of the Special Issue “Feature Paper in Section “Cancer Therapy” in 2024” (https://www.mdpi.com/journal/cancers/special_issues/851NXE23AN).

As a result of the development and improvement of modalities for systematic and localized treatment, the field of oncology has undergone a complete revolution. To effectively manage the progression of cancer, it is essential to have therapeutic approaches that are both precise and targeted, as well as those that are particular to the affected area and may be utilized at an early stage. The major method that is utilized for people who are qualified to undergo surgical removal of their tumor is one of these. Chemotherapy is a medication that is frequently used in the treatment of cancer, yet it is notorious for the significant toxicity that it causes in patients. On the other hand, as a pharmaceutical intervention, it is currently being utilized in conjunction with immunotherapy increasingly frequently. The effectiveness of immunotherapy is based on its capacity to strengthen the immune system of the host, which makes it an appropriate supplement to the standard of care that has been established for long-term treatment. In addition, immunotherapy has undergone substantial changes, particularly since the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized it for the treatment of more advanced cancers. Additionally, the increasing validity and effectiveness of immunotherapies have been demonstrated in recent clinical research trials, which have been conducted all over the world with the purpose of improving oncology treatments. To improve both survival rates and quality of life in the field of cancer, it is essential to continue developing each of these therapy techniques. This Special Issue will discuss the innovations recently made in chemo- and immunotherapy and other developments and specializations in the field, such as targeted therapy.

Dr. Abdullah Esmail
Dr. Qiang Wang
Prof. Dr. Hiroyuki Takei
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

chemotherapy
immunotherapy for cancer
oncology
systemic treatment and targeted therapy.

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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21 pages, 740 KB

Open AccessArticle

Body Mass Index and Outcomes in HR+/HER2− Metastatic Breast Cancer Treated with Palbociclib: Insights from a National Real-World Study

by Larisa Maria Badau, Paul Epure, Madalin-Marius Margan, Roxana Margan, Andrei Dorin Ciocoiu, Cristina Marinela Oprean and Brigitha Vlaicu

Cancers 2026, 18(9), 1379; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers18091379 - 26 Apr 2026

Viewed by 527

Abstract

Background/Objectives: The prognostic and predictive role of BMI in patients with HR+/HER2− MBC remains controversial, particularly in the era of CDK4/6 inhibitors. This study aimed to evaluate the association between baseline BMI and clinical outcomes in patients treated with palbociclib in a real-world setting. Methods: We conducted a multicenter retrospective observational cohort study including 326 patients with HR+/HER2− MBC treated with palbociclib in combination with endocrine therapy across six oncology centers in Romania. Only patients who received palbociclib for at least three months were included. Patients were stratified according to BMI into <25 kg/m² and ≥25 kg/m² groups. PFS and OS were the primary endpoints, while ORR and CBR were secondary endpoints. Results: Among the 326 patients, 66.56% were classified as overweight or obese (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m²). Median PFS was 23.66 months in the BMI < 25 group and 26.78 months in the BMI ≥ 25 group, with no statistically significant difference (HR 0.86; 95% CI 0.62–1.20; p = 0.373). Median OS was not reached in the BMI < 25 group and was 43.73 months in the BMI ≥ 25 group, also without a significant difference (HR 0.82; 95% CI 0.52–1.30; p = 0.397). ORR (29.07% vs. 28.89%) and CBR (90.70% vs. 88.33%) were comparable between BMI groups. In multivariate analysis, liver metastases and brain metastases were independently associated with worse outcomes, whereas BMI was not an independent prognostic factor. Conclusions: In this selected real-world cohort of patients with HR+/HER2− MBC who tolerated at least three months of palbociclib, baseline BMI was not associated with treatment response, PFS, or OS. While clinically informative, these results should not be interpreted as definitive evidence that body weight has no influence on palbociclib efficacy, given the methodological constraints of the analysis. BMI alone may be insufficient to capture the complex interplay between body composition and treatment outcomes, highlighting the need for more refined biomarkers of body composition in this setting. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers in the Section “Cancer Therapy” in 2025-2026)

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16 pages, 1450 KB

Open AccessArticle

Therapeutic Potential of miR-4711-5p in Pancreatic Cancer: Antitumor Activity and Mechanistic Insights

by Yuhki Yokoyama, Yoshihiro Morimoto, Hiroyuki Yamamoto, Shihori Kouda, Shiho Kawanami, Ruijia Yang, Yingjue Zhang, Manami Tsujimoto, Nanami Nagata, Yuki Shimomura, Kana Nishida, Tsuyoshi Hata, Akira Inoue, Satoshi Shibata, Hirofumi Yamamoto and Masaki Mori

Cancers 2026, 18(7), 1104; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers18071104 - 29 Mar 2026

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Abstract

Background/Aim: Pancreatic cancer remains one of the most lethal malignancies, with limited therapeutic options and an extremely poor prognosis. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), which regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level, have emerged as promising candidates for next-generation cancer therapeutics. The purpose of this study is to clarify the feasibility of miR-4711 as a potential therapeutic option against pancreatic cancer. Materials and Methods: The effects of miR-4711-5p were examined in pancreatic cancer cell lines with respect to cell proliferation, apoptosis, cancer stemness, cell cycle progression, and invasive capacity. RNA sequencing and in silico analyses were performed to identify potential target genes of miR-4711-5p. For in vivo safety evaluation, miR-4711-5p was formulated with super carbonate apatite, a delivery vehicle that is already amenable to large-scale production, and administered to cynomolgus monkeys. A nucleic acid dose equivalent to 10 times the effective dose observed in prior mouse efficacy studies was used. General clinical conditions, body weight, food consumption, ophthalmologic findings, electrocardiography, blood pressure, hematological and biochemical parameters, and histopathological changes were systematically assessed. Results: miR-4711-5p significantly suppressed cancer stemness, cell proliferation, and invasion, while inducing apoptosis and delaying cell cycle progression in pancreatic cancer cells. RNA sequencing and bioinformatic analyses identified MET, CTSA, and ANO1 as potential target genes of miR-4711-5p. In the cynomolgus monkey study, administration of miR-4711-5p formulated with super carbonate apatite resulted in no apparent differences compared with the control group in body weight, clinical observations, laboratory parameters, or histopathological findings, indicating the absence of treatment-related adverse effects even at a supra-therapeutic dose. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that miR-4711-5p exerts potent antitumor effects against pancreatic cancer cells while exhibiting a favorable safety profile in a non-human primate model. Collectively, this study provides strong preclinical evidence supporting miR-4711-5p as a novel and safe therapeutic strategy for pancreatic cancer and represents an important step toward clinical application. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers in the Section “Cancer Therapy” in 2025-2026)

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20 pages, 5495 KB

Open AccessArticle

Canady Helios Cold Plasma Induces Non-Thermal (24 °C), Non-Contact Irreversible Electroporation and Selective Tumor Cell Death at Surgical Margins

by Saravana R. K. Murthy, Taisen Zhuang, Olivia Z. Jones, Yasmine Dakak, Michael Keidar, Aviram Nissan and Jerome Canady

Cancers 2025, 17(23), 3869; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17233869 - 2 Dec 2025

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1224

Abstract

Background: The Canady Helios Cold Plasma (CHCP) system is a non-thermal, non-contact cold atmospheric plasma technology that generates transient electric fields and reactive species capable of disrupting cancer cell membranes. This study investigated the voltage-dependent membrane irreversible electroporation (IRE) dynamics induced by CHCP across biologically distinct breast cancer subtypes. Methods: Four breast cancer cell lines, triple-negative (MDA-MB-231 and Hs578T), ER⁺/PR⁺/HER2⁻ (MCF-7), and ER⁺/PR⁺/HER2⁺ (BT-474), were exposed to CHCP for 5 min at 25 V (~1675 V/cm PTEF) or 30 V (~2010 V/cm), either directly or with Plasma Activated Media (PAM). Membrane permeability was assessed by propidium iodide (PI) uptake over 120 min. Morphological changes were evaluated microscopically. Functional electroporation was examined via BCL2A1-targeting siRNA delivery and clonogenic survival. Ex vivo analyses of Phase I clinical trial tumor specimens (NCT04267575) were performed to characterize CHCP-induced tissue responses. Results: CHCP produced voltage- and time-dependent membrane permeabilization in all breast cancer cell lines, with 30 V generating robust and sustained PI uptake compared to transient effects at 25 V. Treated cells exhibited morphological features consistent with membrane disruption. CHCP enabled intracellular siRNA delivery and significantly reduced clonogenic potential, confirming functional pore formation. Ex vivo CHCP treatment selectively damaged tumor cells while sparing adjacent non-cancerous tissue. Conclusions: This study demonstrates CHCP as a non-thermal (24 °C), non-contact plasma-based IRE platform which induces controlled membrane permeabilization and selective cancer cell death. CHCP offers a translational strategy to eradicate residual tumor cells at the surgical margins, and prevent local recurrence, positioning it as a versatile adjunct in precision surgical oncology. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers in the Section “Cancer Therapy” in 2025-2026)

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18 pages, 1179 KB

Open AccessArticle

Incidence and Clinical Features of Pseudoprogression in Brain Metastases After Immune-Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy: A Retrospective Study

by Chris W. Govaerts, Miranda C. A. Kramer, Ingeborg Bosma, Frank A. E. Kruyt, Frederike Bensch, J. Marc C. van Dijk, Mathilde Jalving and Anouk van der Hoorn

Cancers 2025, 17(15), 2425; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17152425 - 22 Jul 2025

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2753 | Correction

Abstract

Background: Pseudoprogression is known to occur after immune-checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy in brain metastasis and can complicate clinical decision-making. Still, its incidence, timing, and clinical presentation remain unclear. A retrospective cohort study in melanoma and non-small cell lung cancer brain metastasis patients was conducted to address this. Materials and Methods: Brain metastasis patients showing progression on MRI according to response assessment in neuro-oncology brain metastases criteria after starting ICI therapy were included, irrespective of prior irradiation. Lesions were classified as tumour progression (TP) or pseudoprogression based on three-month radiological follow-up or histopathology. TP was assigned if progression was again shown at three months. Pseudoprogression was assigned if lesions showed stability, partial, or complete response at three months. ‘Non-classified’ lesions were those with new or changed treatment during follow-up. Results: A cohort of 98 patients with 233 lesions was included over a 13-year period; 170 lesions were considered non-classified, and 41 and 22 lesions were classified as TP and pseudoprogression respectively. This resulted in a lesion- and patient-specific incidence for pseudoprogression of 9.4% and 17.3% respectively. Due to the large number of lesions that could not be classified, as is the case in clinical practice, the reported incidence in this study is likely an underestimation and can be seen as a ‘minimum’ incidence rate. Ten pseudoprogression (45.5%) and 13 (31.7%) TP lesions were previously irradiated. Pseudoprogression occurred at a median of 2.7 months after starting ICI therapy. The only clinical feature distinguishing patients with TP from pseudoprogression was that TP patients were more likely to need dexamethasone for neurological symptoms. Conclusions: Pseudoprogression has a lesion-specific incidence rate of at least 9.4% and occurs at a median of 2.7 months after starting ICI therapy. Severe neurological symptoms requiring dexamethasone may be a clinical feature typical for TP. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers in the Section “Cancer Therapy” in 2025-2026)

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4 pages, 313 KB

Open AccessCorrection

Correction: Govaerts et al. Incidence and Clinical Features of Pseudoprogression in Brain Metastases After Immune-Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy: A Retrospective Study. Cancers 2025, 17, 2425

by Chris W. Govaerts, Miranda C. A. Kramer, Ingeborg Bosma, Frank A. E. Kruyt, Frederike Bensch, J. Marc C. van Dijk, Mathilde Jalving and Anouk van der Hoorn

Cancers 2026, 18(4), 572; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers18040572 - 10 Feb 2026

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Abstract

In the original publication [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers in the Section “Cancer Therapy” in 2025-2026)

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8 pages, 705 KB

Open AccessViewpoint

Rethinking EPO: A Paradigm Shift in Oncology?

by Jean-Marc Ferrero, Baharia Mograbi, Rym Bouriga, Jocelyn Gal and Gérard Milano

Cancers 2025, 17(23), 3875; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17233875 - 3 Dec 2025

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1455

Abstract

Erythropoietin (EPO) is a hormone mainly produced by the kidney. EPO stimulates red blood cell production in response to hypoxia. EPO represents one of the most compelling paradoxes in medical oncology. For decades, recombinant EPO has been prescribed as an effective therapy for cancer-related anemia and fatigue, significantly improving patients’ quality of life while reducing their dependence on blood transfusions. Yet, accumulating scientific evidence knowledge has highlighted the complex interactions between EPO and tumor biology that extend well beyond its hematopoietic functions. The putative expression of EPO receptors on tumor cells has raised concerns about a potential role of EPO in promoting tumor progression, although conclusive clinical evidence remains lacking. Recent studies have revealed that EPO may contribute to immunosuppressive mechanisms within the tumor microenvironment, thereby reshaping our understanding of its risk/benefit profile in oncology. This evolving body of evidence calls for an objective reassessment of EPO’s dual nature as both a therapeutic ally and a potential oncological threat, in order to bring more caution around decision-making in the current era of strongly evolving cancer care. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers in the Section “Cancer Therapy” in 2025-2026)

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