The Extracellular Matrix and Tissue Engineering: Roles in the Tumor Microenvironment and Implications for Cancer Treatment

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 51

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Biomedical Research Institute (BRI), Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas (FORTH), Ioannina, Greece
Interests: oncology; matrix stiffness; integrin activity; adhesions; drug discovery; cell metabolism
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Guest Editor
Centre for 3D Models of Health and Disease, University College London (UCL), Charles Bell House, London, UK
Interests: cancer models; 3D models; fibrosis; matrix stiffness; pancreatic cancer; liver cancer; ovarian cancer

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Guest Editor
Biomedical Research Institute (BRI), Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas (FORTH), Ioannina, Greece
Interests: lung cancer; cancer signaling; extracellular matrix; matrix stiffness; adhesions; drug resistance; cell metabolism
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The extracellular matrix (ECM) consists of a dynamic network of fibrous proteins and polysaccharides and provides structural support to cells and tissues. In the context of cancer, the ECM undergoes remodeling driven both by cancer cells and stromal cells, such as fibroblasts, endothelial cells and immune cells. ECM remodeling involves the excessive deposition, degradation, and crosslinking of ECM components, leading to a stiffened microenvironment.

In this Special Issue of Cancers, we welcome the submission of research papers as well as expert reviews that are focused on, but not limited to, studying the interactions between the ECM with cancer cells and stromal cells, and their impact on tumor progression, metastasis, and drug resistance; fabricating models to study the role of ECM in cancer, including tissue engineering approaches for recreating the tumor microenvironment; and identifying innovative therapeutic strategies targeting the ECM.

Dr. Maria Georgiadou
Prof. Dr. Eirini Velliou
Dr. Eugenia Roupakia
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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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

  • extracellular matrix remodeling
  • stiffness
  • cancer progression
  • tumor metastasis
  • tissue engineering
  • 3D models
  • anti-cancer therapies

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