Ion Channels in Cancer Therapies

Dear Colleagues,

The idea that ion channels play crucial roles in the onset and development of all types of cancer has gained overwhelming support in the last several decades. Besides the purely scientific interest that this concept has for cancer biologists, the available extensive knowledge of the physiology and pharmacology of ion channels opens a window for therapeutic interventions that can correct or modify the behavior of tumor cells and their microenvironment and result in a benefit for the patients.

There are many aspects related to ion channels in the context of tumor therapy. First, not only channels in the tumor cells but also those in cells of the microenvironment can be targeted. Moreover, ion channels play relevant roles in some of the undesired effects of more classical treatment regimes for cancer patients, and can thus be addressed to diminish toxicity. The strategies to target channels are also very diverse. In some cases, the function of ion channels is directly tackled by pharmacological modulators, which can be either repurposed drugs in current or past clinical use for other indications or newly identified natural or synthetic compounds with improved selectivity profile and potency. Other strategies take advantage of the aberrant expression of particular ion channels to direct other agents to the tumor cells or aim to correct the pathways altered by pathological channel expression.

In summary, this Topical Collection aims to offer an overview of the present and potential importance of ion channels in cancer therapy.

Prof. Dr. Luis A. Pardo
Collection Editor

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