ijms-logo

Journal Browser

Journal Browser

Gynecologic Oncology: Molecular Mechanisms and Therapies

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Pathology, Diagnostics, and Therapeutics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 October 2025 | Viewed by 2009

Special Issue Editor


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Gynecological Oncology, Medical University Pleven, 5800 Pleven, Bulgaria
Interests: cervical cancer; endometrial cancer; treatment

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This is our first Special Issue of the topic “Gynecologic Oncology: Molecular Mechanisms and Therapies”.

Gynecological cancers with major clinical significance and incidence that arise in the female reproductive organs include endometrial, cervical, ovarian, vaginal, and vulval cancers, along with gestational trophoblastic disease. Gynecological cancers implicate an important public health issue, with a spread among women of all ages. The disease is sometimes diagnosed at a late stage due to a lack of notice of specific symptoms, scarce screening, and sometimes misdiagnosis. Late diagnosis, together with limited treatment options for the advanced stages of cancer, play a pivotal role in the high mortality rate, and we are all aware of the necessity for further advancement in this sphere.

Recently, molecular mechanisms that influence the biological pathways involved in different cancers and regulate cancer-relevant processes have been demonstrated. The emergence of new genetic techniques has improved the understanding of the mechanisms essential for pathology. Such molecules and their interactions in the pathogenesis of gynecological malignancies have considerably ameliorated the management of the diagnosis and personalized treatment for different forms of cancer.

We are inviting submissions of original research articles, reviews, and communication on topics relevant to any aspect of gynecological cancer: molecular mechanisms in the pathogenesis of gynecological malignancies, diagnosis, and treatment for different forms of gynecological cancers.

Dr. Angel Yordanov
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.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. 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

  • cervical cancer
  • endometrial cancer
  • ovarian cancer
  • vulvar cancer
  • carcinogenesis
  • microinvairment
  • immunotherapy

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

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

Published Papers (3 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

13 pages, 3687 KiB  
Article
Apoptosis and G2/M Phase Cell Cycle Arrest Induced by Alkaloid Erythraline Isolated from Erythrina velutina in SiHa Cervical Cancer Cell
by Cleine Aglacy Nunes Miranda, Amaxsell Thiago Barros de Souza, Ana Katarina Menezes da Cruz Soares, Emanuelly Bernardes-Oliveira, Hugo Alexandre Oliveira Rocha, Euzébio Guimarães Barbosa, Thais Guaratini, Norma Lucena-Silva, Ricardo Ney Cobucci, Raquel Brandt Giordani and Janaina Cristiana de Oliveira Crispim
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(10), 4627; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26104627 - 12 May 2025
Viewed by 237
Abstract
Cervical cancer remains a significant global health concern, causing more than 300,000 deaths annually. Erythrina velutina, a tree native to north-eastern Brazil, contains bioactive alkaloids with potential anticancer properties. This study aimed to characterize the alkaloid-enriched fraction of Erythrina velutina leaves and [...] Read more.
Cervical cancer remains a significant global health concern, causing more than 300,000 deaths annually. Erythrina velutina, a tree native to north-eastern Brazil, contains bioactive alkaloids with potential anticancer properties. This study aimed to characterize the alkaloid-enriched fraction of Erythrina velutina leaves and investigate the effects of the alkaloid erythraline on apoptosis and cell cycle in SiHa cervical cancer cells. Using Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS), six alkaloids, including erythraline, were identified. Cytotoxicity was assessed through proliferation assays on SiHa cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Apoptosis and cell cycle analyses were performed using flow cytometry, and in silico virtual screening identified potential protein targets of erythraline. Erythraline showed time- and concentration-dependent inhibitory effects on SiHa cell proliferation, with significant cytotoxicity observed at 50 µg/mL. Morphological changes, chromatin condensation, and increased apoptotic cell percentages confirmed the induction of caspase-independent apoptosis. Erythraline also induced G2/M cell cycle arrest, with 22% of cells in the G2/M phase compared with 7.25% in the untreated controls. In silico analysis identified polyamine oxidase, pyruvate kinase M2, and tankyrase as potential targets that contribute to the antitumor activity of erythraline. These findings suggest that erythraline is a promising candidate for anticancer therapy, warranting further investigation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gynecologic Oncology: Molecular Mechanisms and Therapies)
Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 2362 KiB  
Article
Gemcitabine–Doxorubicin Combination Polymer-Drug Conjugate Prepared by SPAAC Click Chemistry: In Vitro Characterization
by Omotola D. Gbadegesin and Simeon K. Adesina
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(6), 2798; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26062798 - 20 Mar 2025
Viewed by 421
Abstract
Combination chemotherapy is preferred for the treatment of ovarian cancer (OC). Systemic toxicity, however, frequently limits the effectiveness of treatment. Polymer–drug conjugates (PDCs) containing synergistic combinations of chemotherapeutic drugs can be used to enhance therapeutic efficacy. We earlier reported the use of a [...] Read more.
Combination chemotherapy is preferred for the treatment of ovarian cancer (OC). Systemic toxicity, however, frequently limits the effectiveness of treatment. Polymer–drug conjugates (PDCs) containing synergistic combinations of chemotherapeutic drugs can be used to enhance therapeutic efficacy. We earlier reported the use of a strain-promoted [3 + 2] azide–alkyne cycloaddition (SPAAC)-mediated polymerization method for the preparation of single-drug PDCs. In this report, the polymerization method was used to prepare gemcitabine–doxorubicin combination PDC. The PDC had a high molecular weight (Mw 1360 kDa) and high drug loading (36.6% weight gemcitabine; 7.0% weight doxorubicin). It demonstrated cathepsin B-catalyzed drug release at pH 5.0 and good hydrolytic stability at pH 7.4. The combination index analysis of free gemcitabine and free doxorubicin showed a concentration-dependent synergism (combination index < 1) in OVCAR-3 OC cells. Compared to individual gemcitabine PDC (the concentration that inhibited 50% growth (IC50) > 50 µg/mL) and doxorubicin PDC (IC50 = 1.79 µg/mL), the combination PDC (IC50 = 0.99 µg/mL) showed greater cytotoxicity against OVCAR-3 cells and was less cytotoxic than the equivalent free drug combination (IC50 = 0.11 µg/mL). The gemcitabine–doxorubicin combination PDC is promising for targeted combination chemotherapy of OC. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gynecologic Oncology: Molecular Mechanisms and Therapies)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

18 pages, 7300 KiB  
Review
Positivity Rate of PD-L1 Expression and Its Clinical Significance in Vulvar Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
by Stefanos Flindris, Crysoula Margioula-Siarkou, Christos V. Chalitsios, Georgia Margioula-Siarkou, Emmanouela-Aliki Almperi, Aristarchos Almperis, Effrosyni Styliara, Konstantinos Flindris, Minas Paschopoulos, Iordanis Navrozoglou, Konstantinos K. Tsilidis, Konstantinos Dinas, Stamatios Petousis and Georgios Markozannes
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(10), 4594; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26104594 - 11 May 2025
Viewed by 1030
Abstract
The prevalence and prognostic value of programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression, as a potential biomarker in vulvar squamous cell carcinomas (VSCCs), remain underexplored. We searched the PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases until July 2024 for articles examining PD-L1 expression in [...] Read more.
The prevalence and prognostic value of programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression, as a potential biomarker in vulvar squamous cell carcinomas (VSCCs), remain underexplored. We searched the PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases until July 2024 for articles examining PD-L1 expression in VSCCs. Random-effects meta-analyses summarized PD-L1 expression overall and in subgroups by immunohistochemistry antibody type, positivity cutoff, tumor stage, and HPV positivity. Additionally, random-effects meta-analyses summarized the association between PD-L1 positivity and cancer prognosis. We included 26 studies comprising 1912 VSCC cases. The summary PD-L1 positivity rate in tumor cells was 59.9% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 47.7–71.4%; I2 = 96%, n = 26), influenced by the different cutoff thresholds utilized to define PD-L1 positivity. Compared to tumor cells, positivity rates were higher in intratumoral immune cells (75.6%; 95%CI: 52.9–92.5; I2 = 95.4%, n = 6) and peritumoral cells (78.9%; 95%CI: 54.4–95.5%; I2 = 91%, n = 3) but with overlapping 95%CIs. No heterogeneity was observed in the rates by tumor stage or HPV status. Positive PD-L1 expression was associated with worse overall (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.43; 95%CI: 1.06–1.93; I2 = 28.9%, n = 7) and progression-free survival (HR = 1.57; 95%CI: 1.07–2.3; I2 = 38.3%, n = 5). The PD-L1 expression rate in VSCC tumor cells varied across studies, was influenced by differences in immunohistochemical evaluation, and was identified as an unfavorable prognostic factor. Large, prospective, multicenter studies with standardized protocols are crucial to further elucidate the clinical significance of PD-L1 expression in VSCCs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gynecologic Oncology: Molecular Mechanisms and Therapies)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop