Mechanisms of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Therapeutic Resistance
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: 30 September 2026
Special Issue Editor
Interests: chemotherapy; chemo-drug resistance; chemosensitizer; radiosensitizer; molecular signaling in cancer; Rab-like protein 1A (RBEL1A)
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Cancer remains one of the most pressing global health challenges, with its complexity driven by diverse molecular, cellular, and micro-environmental mechanisms. Although recent advances in molecular oncology, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy have significantly improved patient outcomes, many tumors still develop mechanisms enabling uncontrolled growth, metastasis, and resistance to multiple therapeutic modalities. Understanding these biological processes is critical for advancing effective cancer diagnostics and treatment strategies.
We are pleased to invite you to contribute to this Special Issue, “Mechanisms of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Therapeutic Resistance,” which aims to highlight emerging discoveries and innovative approaches that deepen our mechanistic understanding of cancer development and therapy failure.
This Special Issue aims to provide a comprehensive platform for studies elucidating the fundamental processes driving carcinogenesis and therapeutic resistance. These topics align closely with the scope of IJMS, which prioritizes high‑impact molecular and mechanistic insights with relevance to human health and disease. By gathering high-quality research in this focused area, we intend to foster meaningful advancement in the molecular basis of cancer biology and the development of strategies to overcome treatment resistance.
In this Special Issue, original research articles and review papers are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following themes:
- Molecular and cellular mechanisms of tumor initiation and progression;
- Genetic, epigenetic, and transcriptomic drivers of carcinogenesis;
- Tumor microenvironment interactions affecting cancer development and therapy response;
- Mechanisms of intrinsic or acquired resistance to chemotherapy, radiotherapy, targeted therapy, or immunotherapy;
- Cancer stem cells and pathways associated with recurrence and resistance;
- Multi‑omics and systems biology approaches to decipher cancer mechanisms;
- Identification of biomarkers for early detection, prognosis, or therapeutic response;
- Novel molecular targets and strategies to overcome drug resistance.
We look forward to receiving your contributions.
Dr. Ki Lui
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
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
- carcinogenesis
- therapeutic resistance
- tumor microenvironment
- cancer genomics
- epigenetics
- molecular pathways
- drug resistance mechanisms
- cancer stem cells
- targeted therapy
- biomarkers
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