Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Strategies in Gastrointestinal Cancer
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 July 2026 | Viewed by 819
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, encompassing malignancies of the stomach, colon, rectum, pancreas, liver, and esophagus, represent a significant global health burden due to their high incidence and mortality rates. These cancers often present with subtle symptoms, leading to late diagnoses and limited treatment options. Understanding their molecular mechanisms has revealed complex genetic and epigenetic alterations driving tumor initiation, progression, and metastasis. Key pathways implicated include aberrations in cell cycle regulation, apoptosis, angiogenesis, and immune evasion. Advances in genomic and molecular profiling have identified potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets, paving the way for personalized medicine approaches. Recent research emphasizes novel molecular mechanisms such as microsatellite instability, chromosomal instability, and the role of tumor microenvironment in GI cancers. Therapeutic strategies are evolving from conventional surgery and chemotherapy toward targeted therapies, immunotherapies, and combination regimens tailored to molecular subtypes. Despite these advances, challenges remain, including drug resistance and tumor heterogeneity.
This Special Issue invites original research articles exploring the molecular underpinnings, diagnostic biomarkers, and innovative therapeutic strategies in gastrointestinal cancers. Contributions that enhance understanding of tumor biology, tailored treatments, and biomarker identification, and that offer translational insights, are particularly welcome, with the aim of improving patient outcomes through precision medicine approaches.
Dr. Pedro Luiz Serrano Usón Júnior
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.
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
- gastrointestinal cancers
- pancreatic cancer
- gastric cancer
- colorectal cancer
- hepatobiliary cancers
- precision medicine
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.
