Advanced Research on Cancer Stem Cells
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: 31 August 2025 | Viewed by 981
Special Issue Editor
Interests: tumour pathology; molecular pathology; cancer stem cells; tumour microenvironment; digital pathology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Cancer research represents a wide and active field of science, yielding tremendous progress in the treatment and diagnostics of malignant tumours. Nevertheless, the proportion of malignant tumours in death statistics is increasing. Cancer currently ranks as the first or second leading cause of premature death in 112 out of 183 countries (Sung et al., 2021) and the dominant cause in 57 countries (Bray et al., 2021). The growing contribution of oncological diseases to the global mortality rate is partially attributable to the decreasing death rate from cardiovascular pathologies. However, the global cancer burden remains high, and failures of treatment significantly contribute to cancer mortality.
Tumour recurrence and treatment resistance are features classically associated with cancer stem cells (CSCs)—a minor population of quiescent, self-renewing, pluripotent malignant cells. CSCs have a low proliferation rate, but, when dividing, they are able to restore the population of stem cells and give rise to malignant daughter cells constituting the main tumour mass. Thus, when implanted in an experimental animal, CSCs can recapitulate the whole heterogeneity of the initial tumour. This feature of stem cells is reflected in the synonymous designation “tumour-initiating cells”. However, the ability to re-establish tumour diversity in an experimental animal model should not be equalized with the capacity to induce the malignant tumour in the patient. Indeed, four possible sources of CSCs are proposed, including normal stem cells, mature cells, cancer cells, and fusion cells. Currently, cancer stem cells are considered to be a status rather than an entity, likely being in dynamic balance with the general malignant population. The underlying molecular mechanisms of stemness represent an important driver of cancer pathogenesis, as well as an attractive treatment target.
We are pleased to invite you to submit your manuscript to this Special Issue, “Advanced Research on Cancer Stem Cells”, devoted to the molecular features of cancer stem cells in malignant human tumours, as well as innovative treatment options capable of showing efficacy against stem cells.
In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:
- The molecular characteristics of cancer stem cells, including genetic and epigenetic events, metabolic changes, and the expression of different proteins.
- The interactions between cancer stem cells and tumour microenvironments, including the relevant molecular mechanisms.
- The role of cancer stem cells in different solid and hematological tumours, e.g., breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, lung cancer, glioblastoma, renal carcinoma, liver cancer, gastric carcinoma, colorectal carcinoma, melanoma, leukemias and lymphomas, and others. Pathogenetic, prognostic, and other aspects of stemness can be discussed.
- Innovative treatment approaches in order to eradicate stem cells.
- Technological approaches, methods, and innovations in stem cell research.
I look forward to receiving your contributions.
Prof. Dr. Ilze Štrumfa
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- cancer stem cells
- tumour microenvironment
- pancreatic cancer
- glioblastoma
- gastric cancer
- breast cancer
- lung cancer
- colorectal cancer
- renal cancer
- liver cancer
- melanoma
- leukemia
- lymphoma
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