About this Research Topic
Background: Cancer incidence and mortality rates are rising every year. According to the American Cancer Society, it is estimated there will be 1,806,590 newly diagnosed and 606,520 cancer-related death cases in the United States in 2020. Hormone and targeted therapies have been clinically adopted for years and have achieved some success. However, due to the complexity of tumor characteristics, there remains a large number of patients suffering from unsatisfactory outcomes and/or intolerant toxicities associated with existing therapies and awaiting life-saving treatments. Studies have shown that the close cross-talk among signaling pathways can lead to the development of de novo or acquired resistance to hormone and targeted therapies, such as that of ER and HER2 signaling in breast cancers. In accordance, simultaneously blocking multiple signaling pathways becomes a preferred approach to prevent or overcome therapeutic resistance.
However, target desensitization and recurrent mutations have been detected in a substantial number of cancer patients and have evolved under selective pressure of regimens, which consequently result in many cases of treatment failures and significantly hinder the progress of anti-cancer therapeutic development. Therefore, understanding the biological and clinical significance of cancer resistance forms the basis of therapeutic advance, and developing new or improved anti-cancer therapies are also urgently required to overcome cancers that are not sensitive to existing targeted therapies.
Goal: The goal of this Research Topic is to provide a forum to advance research on the clinical options when in confronting specific cancers resistant to targeted therapies.
Scope: We welcome submissions related to the therapeutic development to combating cancers that are less responsive to available hormone and targeted therapies; for example identifying new therapeutic targets and drugs as well as optimizing existing therapies with advanced approaches like adjuvant regimens and novel drug delivery routes. The current Research Topic of Frontiers in Pharmacology focuses on publishing Original Research, Review articles and Case Reports on (a) evaluating and validating novel therapeutic targets and drugs; (b) developing improved anti-cancer therapies through co-administered agents, chemically modification of candidate molecules, sensitization of molecular targets etc.; and (c) establishing advanced drug delivery systems that can deliver single or multiple anti-cancer agents to targeted tissues.
However, target desensitization and recurrent mutations have been detected in a substantial number of cancer patients and have evolved under selective pressure of regimens, which consequently result in many cases of treatment failures and significantly hinder the progress of anti-cancer therapeutic development. Therefore, understanding the biological and clinical significance of cancer resistance forms the basis of therapeutic advance, and developing new or improved anti-cancer therapies are also urgently required to overcome cancers that are not sensitive to existing targeted therapies.
Goal: The goal of this Research Topic is to provide a forum to advance research on the clinical options when in confronting specific cancers resistant to targeted therapies.
Scope: We welcome submissions related to the therapeutic development to combating cancers that are less responsive to available hormone and targeted therapies; for example identifying new therapeutic targets and drugs as well as optimizing existing therapies with advanced approaches like adjuvant regimens and novel drug delivery routes. The current Research Topic of Frontiers in Pharmacology focuses on publishing Original Research, Review articles and Case Reports on (a) evaluating and validating novel therapeutic targets and drugs; (b) developing improved anti-cancer therapies through co-administered agents, chemically modification of candidate molecules, sensitization of molecular targets etc.; and (c) establishing advanced drug delivery systems that can deliver single or multiple anti-cancer agents to targeted tissues.
Keywords: Anticancer drugs, drug development, therapeutic targets, therapy sensitization
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
