New Diagnostic and Therapeutic Tools Against Multidrug Resistant Tumors (STRATAGEM Special Issue, EU-COST CA17104)

Dear Colleagues,

Resistance towards chemotherapy, targeted therapies, and immunotherapy occurs in up to 70% of tumors, at diagnosis or during treatment. It is often a feature of a complex tumor phenotype characterized by simultaneous resistance toward different agents. This multidrug resistance (MDR), is a challenge that needs multi-disciplinary approaches to better understand its underlying mechanisms and identify predictive markers and new therapeutic targets. An in-depth knowledge of the biological processes that determine the onset of MDR will lead to the design and formulation of anti-cancer agents effective against tumors that are refractory to conventional agents, reversing their resistance to treatment.

In April 2018, the European COST (Cooperation in Science and Technology) Action STRATAGEM  “New Diagnostic and Therapeutic Tools against Multidrug-Resistant Tumors” was funded by the European Union. It was launched as the first multidisciplinary open consortium studying simultaneously the diagnostic, therapeutic, and toxicological challenges related to MDR tumors. Multiple tools must be used to overcome MDR, including high-throughput bioinformatic analyses, “OMICS” technologies, biochemical and pharmacological assays, rational design and synthesis of new synthetic or natural bioactive compounds, formulations using nanocarriers to improve drug solubilization, selectivity, and anti-cancer action.

The latest works from members of the STRATAGEM COST Action will be collected in this Special Issue of Cancers that is open to research articles and timely reviews on all aspects of drug resistance in tumors. Please note that this Special Issue is open only to members of STRATAGEM.

Prof. Dr. Chiara Riganti
Prof. Dr. M. Helena Vasconcelos
Prof. Dr. Catherine Passirani
Guest Editors

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