Stress, Epigenetic Regulation, and DNA Damage: Insights into Cancer Development and Therapeutic Challenges
A special issue of Cancers (ISSN 2072-6694). This special issue belongs to the section "Cancer Pathophysiology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 March 2026 | Viewed by 48
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Cancer is a multifaceted disease driven by genetic mutations, epigenetic alterations, and environmental stressors. Cellular stress, encompassing oxidative stress, replication stress, and genotoxic insults, significantly contributes to genome instability and tumorigenesis. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), nutrient deprivation, and exposure to environmental toxins are among the key triggers of cellular stress, leading to DNA damage and compromising genomic integrity.
Epigenetic regulation serves as a critical mediator in the cellular response to stress. Modifications such as DNA methylation, histone modification, and chromatin remodeling not only influence gene expression but also determine the cell’s ability to repair DNA damage. Disruptions in these epigenetic mechanisms can lead to aberrant gene regulation, fostering cancer initiation and progression. Moreover, the interplay between replication stress and defective DNA damage response pathways further exacerbates genomic instability, driving the accumulation of oncogenic mutations.
This Special Issue aims to explore the intricate crosstalk between cellular stress, epigenetic changes, and DNA damage in cancer biology. It will cover topics ranging from the molecular mechanisms underlying stress-induced epigenetic modifications to the therapeutic implications of targeting these pathways in cancer treatment. By highlighting recent advancements in understanding how stress and epigenetics shape the cancer genome, we hope to foster the development of novel strategies for cancer prevention, diagnosis, and therapy.
We invite researchers to contribute original research articles, comprehensive reviews, and perspectives that shed light on the dynamic relationship between stress, epigenetics, DNA damage, and cancer. Through this collective effort, we aspire to advance our knowledge of cancer biology and uncover innovative approaches to combat this complex disease.
Dr. Yanying Huo
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
- ROS
- oxidative stress
- metabolic stress
- DNA damage repair
- genomic instability
- cancer
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