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Cancers
Special Issues
Histopathology and Pathogenesis of Skin Cancer
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Histopathology and Pathogenesis of Skin Cancer

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 December 2025 | Viewed by 1419

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Carlos Torres-Cabala

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
Interests: cutaneous tumors; lymphomas; melanoma; pathology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Alessio Giubellino

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
Interests: dermatopathology; melanoma; receptor tyrosine kinase; MET; HGF; histopathology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Cutaneous malignant neoplasms comprise a wide and varied group of tumors that often represent a challenge for both clinicians and researchers. The spectrum of tumors involving the skin encompasses indolent and very aggressive neoplasms arising from distinct lineages and with very different clinical presentations and therapeutic approaches.

This Special Issue will focus on the pathological features of tumors involving skin. Histopathological, immunohistochemical, and molecular aspects used in the diagnosis, prognosis, and prediction of these entities, along with research on the mechanisms of pathogenesis, will be covered. Original research and review topics on dermatopathology and basic, and translational research of cutaneous neoplasms (squamous, adnexal, melanocytic, hematolymphoid, mesenchymal, neural) will be included in a broad but also deep showcase of what is current and novel in cutaneous neoplasms.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Carlos Torres-Cabala
Dr. Alessio Giubellino
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 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

  • skin
  • tumor
  • cancer
  • histopathology
  • pathogenesis
  • molecular
  • immunohistochemistry
  • pathway
  • pathology

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

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Review

17 pages, 5703 KiB  
Review
IFN γ and the IFN γ Signaling Pathways in Merkel Cell Carcinoma
by Lina Song, Jinye Guan, Qunmei Zhou, Wenshang Liu, Jürgen C. Becker and Dan Deng
Cancers 2025, 17(15), 2547; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17152547 - 1 Aug 2025
Viewed by 149
Abstract
Recent preclinical and clinical studies have confirmed the essential role of interferons in the host’s immune response against malignant cells. Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare, aggressive skin cancer strongly associated with Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV). Despite progress in understanding MCC pathogenesis, [...] Read more.
Recent preclinical and clinical studies have confirmed the essential role of interferons in the host’s immune response against malignant cells. Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare, aggressive skin cancer strongly associated with Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV). Despite progress in understanding MCC pathogenesis, the role of innate immune signaling, particularly interferon-γ (IFN γ) and its downstream pathways, remains underexplored. This review summarizes recent findings on IFN-γ in MCC, highlighting its dual role in promoting both antitumor immunity and immune evasion. IFN-γ enhances cytotoxic T cell responses, upregulates MHC class I/II expression, and induces tumor cell apoptosis. Transcriptomic studies have shown that IFN-γ treatment upregulates immune-regulatory genes including PD-L1, HLA-A/B/C, and IDO1 by over threefold; it also activates APOBEC3B and 3G, contributing to antiviral defense and tumor editing. Clinically, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) such as pembrolizumab and avelumab yield objective response rates of 30–56% and two-year overall survival rates exceeding 60% in advanced MCC. However, approximately 50% of patients do not respond, in part due to IFN-γ signaling deficiencies. This review further discusses IFN-γ’s crosstalk with the STAT1/3/5 pathways and emerging combination strategies aimed at restoring immune sensitivity. Understanding these mechanisms may inform personalized immunotherapeutic approaches and guide the development of IFN-γ–based interventions in MCC. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Histopathology and Pathogenesis of Skin Cancer)
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16 pages, 3665 KiB  
Review
Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Its Rare Variant, Carcinoma Cuniculatum: Insights and Case Studies
by Klaudia Knecht-Gurwin, Aleksandra A. Stefaniak, Iwona Chlebicka, Lukasz Matusiak, Zdzisław Woźniak and Jacek C. Szepietowski
Cancers 2025, 17(7), 1217; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17071217 - 3 Apr 2025
Viewed by 886
Abstract
Background: Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) presents a significant challenge in dermatological pathology, necessitating comprehensive insights for effective management. This review highlights SCC’s broad aspects and focuses particularly on carcinoma cuniculatum (CC), a rare variant that warrants special attention due to its unique diagnostic [...] Read more.
Background: Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) presents a significant challenge in dermatological pathology, necessitating comprehensive insights for effective management. This review highlights SCC’s broad aspects and focuses particularly on carcinoma cuniculatum (CC), a rare variant that warrants special attention due to its unique diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Methods:
We conducted a narrative review of current literature on SCC and CC, supplemented by illustrative clinical case presentations. The analysis emphasized epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical presentation, diagnostic pitfalls, and treatment modalities. Results:
The key findings from our analysis indicate that CC, although locally aggressive, exhibits a lower metastatic potential and requires distinct management strategies, primarily surgical, due to its poor responsiveness to radiotherapy. Conclusions:
The review also includes illustrative clinical cases to highlight the diverse presentations and underscore the necessity for multidisciplinary approaches and heightened clinical vigilance in diagnosing and managing CC. By consolidating current knowledge and clinical experiences, this review aims to enhance awareness, facilitate early recognition, and optimize therapeutic strategies for SCC, particularly CC, thereby improving patient outcomes and prognosis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Histopathology and Pathogenesis of Skin Cancer)
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