The Tumor Microenvironment and Targeted Therapy
A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Oncology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 November 2025
Special Issue Editor
Interests: FDG PET/CT; oncology; therapy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The tumor microenvironment (TME) plays a pivotal role in cancer progression, immune evasion, and resistance to therapy. Comprising a complex network of stromal cells, immune cells, extracellular matrix components, and soluble factors, the TME actively influences tumor behavior and therapeutic outcomes. Recent advances in molecular and cellular biology have highlighted the TME’s status as not only a passive bystander but a dynamic contributor to tumorigenesis and a promising target for novel therapeutic strategies.
Molecular imaging has emerged as a powerful tool to noninvasively characterize the TME in vivo, offering critical insights into tumor biology, heterogeneity, and treatment response. Techniques such as PET, SPECT, and MRI, combined with specific tracers, enable the visualization of immune cell infiltration, hypoxia, metabolic reprogramming, and receptor expression, supporting both drug development and clinical decision-making.
This Special Issue aims to foster multidisciplinary dialogue and showcase novel strategies at the intersection of tumor biology, imaging, and precision oncology. We invite submissions of original research articles, reviews, and short communications that advance our understanding of the TME and its role in targeted therapy. Contributions exploring the integration of molecular imaging in preclinical or clinical studies of TME-targeted therapies are especially welcome.
Prof. Dr. Luca Filippi
Guest Editor
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 short 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. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
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Keywords
- tumor microenvironment
- cancer
- immune evasion
- novel therapeutic strategies
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