Bacterial Infections and Cancer Risk: From Biological Mechanisms to Clinical Realities

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 March 2026 | Viewed by 682

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
SPARTHA Medical SAS CRBS, 1 rue Eugène Boeckel, 67000 Strasbourg, France
Interests: biofilm; antibiotic tolerance; OMICS; pathogenesis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
Interests: H. pylori

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are delighted to announce the call for submissions to a Special Issue of Cancers focusing on the intricate relationship between bacterial infections and the heightened risk of developing various types of cancer. We invite the submission of original research articles and reviews that delve into diverse aspects of bacterial infections and cancer, encompassing, but not limited to, the following:

  1. Comprehensive understanding of the association between bacterial infections and cancer, elucidating the epidemiological evidence that establishes links between specific bacteria and an increased risk of cancer;
  2. In-depth examination of key bacterial infections and their correlation with specific types of cancer, such as Helicobacter pylori and gastric cancer, Salmonella Typhi and gallbladder cancer, and Fusobacterium and colorectal cancer;
  3. Investigation of the biological mechanisms through which bacteria contribute to carcinogenesis, including the alteration of the local microenvironment, induction of chronic inflammation and effects on cellular DNA, as well as research on bacterial byproducts and their potential carcinogenic properties;
  4. Exploration of potential therapeutic strategies targeting bacterial infections to prevent or treat associated cancers, and discussion of emerging therapies and future research directions in the field.

By consolidating the latest research findings and clinical experiences, our aim is to enhance our understanding of the interplay between bacterial infections and cancer, bridging the gap between theoretical research and clinical application. All submitted articles will undergo a rigorous peer review process to ensure the highest scientific quality and relevance to the field.

We encourage contributions from researchers, clinicians and healthcare professionals engaged in the study and management of bacterial infections and cancer. Your valuable insights and expertise will significantly contribute to the success of this Special Issue.

Should you have any questions, require further information or need any assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. We are here to support and facilitate your participation in this Special Issue.

Thank you for your attention to this matter and we eagerly anticipate receiving your valuable submissions.

Dr. Skander Hathroubi
Dr. Shuai Hu
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

  • bacterial infections
  • cancer risk
  • biological mechanisms
  • treatment modalities
  • therapeutic strategies

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

19 pages, 3836 KiB  
Article
Impact of Infection on Survival Outcomes in High-Grade Gliomas: A Retrospective Analysis of 26 Cases in Our Fifteen-Year Experience—Janus Faced Phenomenon
by György Berényi, Dóra Szabó, Gergely Agócs, Blanka Andrássy, Imre Fedorcsák, Loránd Erőss and László Sipos
Cancers 2025, 17(8), 1348; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17081348 - 17 Apr 2025
Viewed by 238
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Glioblastoma IDH-wildtype CNS WHO grade 4 and astrocytoma IDH-mutant WHO grade 4 (together, high-grade gliomas: HGGs) are the most prevalent malignant brain tumors, carrying a poor prognosis despite multimodal treatment. Surgical site infections (SSIs) represent a relative frequent postoperative complication in HGG [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Glioblastoma IDH-wildtype CNS WHO grade 4 and astrocytoma IDH-mutant WHO grade 4 (together, high-grade gliomas: HGGs) are the most prevalent malignant brain tumors, carrying a poor prognosis despite multimodal treatment. Surgical site infections (SSIs) represent a relative frequent postoperative complication in HGG patients. Despite multimodal treatment protocols combining surgery, radiotherapy, and temozolomide chemotherapy, HGGs remain associated with a dismal prognosis, underscoring the need to evaluate how SSIs impact disease progression and survival outcomes. This study’s aim was to investigate the influence of SSIs on the clinical course of patients with HGGs. Methods: A comprehensive review of medical records for HGG patients treated at our institution between 2010 and 2024 identified 26 patients with SSIs. These patients were compared to an age-matched control group with the same histological diagnosis and treatment regimen. This study analyzed overall survival (OS), microbiological data, and pathological parameters to assess the impact of SSIs on patient outcomes. Survival differences between the infected and non-infected groups were evaluated using Kaplan–Meier survival curves. Remarkably, three patients with exceptionally long overall survival were highlighted in this study. Results: Among the cohort of 2008 patients with HGG surgery, 26 patients developed SSIs. An age-matched control group of 26 patients was identified, none of whom experienced SSIs. Comparing the OS between the infected and uninfected groups, a statistically significant improvement in OS was observed in the infected group (p = 0.049). The median OS in the infected group was 388 days, slightly shorter than the median OS of 422 days in the control group. However, the mean OS was markedly higher in the infected group (674 days) compared to the control group (442 days). The standard deviation of OS in the infected group was notably expansive, indicating substantial variability in survival outcomes. A cluster of infected patients with SSIs near the time of diagnosis had shorter OS, while other infected cases demonstrated significantly longer survival, exceeding both median and mean OS values. In contrast, the uninfected group showed limited standard deviation values, with uniformly distributed individual OS data around the median and mean values. Expectedly, IDH mutation status significantly influenced the survival in cohort patients. However, when stratified by infection status, no association between IDH mutation and improved infection-related survival was identified. The microbiological profile of SSIs was diverse, encompassing Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria as well as aerobic and anaerobic organisms. Conclusions: These findings underscore the heterogeneity of infection-related outcomes and their potential impact on survival in HGG patients. According to our knowledge, our study is one of the largest retrospective studies to date investigating and confirming the significant relationship between SSIs and HGG patients’ survival. Our results confirm the Janus Face phenomenon of infections, having both negative and positive effects depending on the context. Full article
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