About this Research Topic
Worldwide, an estimated 19.3 million new cancer cases and almost 10.0 million cancer deaths occurred in 2020, among which colorectal cancer (CRC) is ranked as the second most lethal cancer and the third most prevalent malignant tumor. Despite the emergence of numerous screening programs to reduce CRC incidence, a quarter of CRCs are diagnosed at an advanced stage with metastases. Once microscopic spread has occurred, a subset of the tumor cells can maintain a high level of aggressive growth and resistance to therapies. Typically, the ideal CRC treatment is to achieve complete removal of the tumor and metastases, which mostly requires surgical intervention. For those patients with unresectable lesions or who are intolerant to surgery, adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy are the leading strategies of shrinking tumor and suppressing its further growth and spread. However, a large percentage of CRC patients resist radiotherapy and chemotherapy at a varying degree depending on the specific cancer type. Underlying mechanism(s) of cancer cell sensitivity/resistance to radiotherapy and chemotherapy includes several biological factors both within the tumor and in the surrounding microenvironment regulating cell cycle, oxidative stress, hypoxia, apoptosis, DNA damage/repair, mitochondrial function, inflammation and stem cell survival.
Cancer cells respond to irradiation in a heterogeneous manner depending on their intrinsic properties for regulating their DNA damage repairs, mitochondrial functions, distribution of cells in different phases of the cell cycle, and tendency to undergo apoptosis. Furthermore, an extrinsic environment such as the degree of hypoxia within the tumor population is also an important factor for regulating response of cancer cells to radiotherapy. In addition, the degree of radio-sensitivity of cancer cells depends on the cell heterogeneity within the tumor mass that includes cancer-initiating cells or cancer stem cells. In recent years, researchers in oncology identified potential genes, miRNAs, RNA-binding proteins and stem cells-associated factors regulating the radiosensitivity of colorectal cancer cells, hence the overall effectiveness of radiotherapy. Overall goal of this research topic is to highlight the recent advancements in identifying factors and underlying mechanism(s) regulating radiosensitivity of colorectal cancer cells and their possible implications in improving the clinical effectiveness of radiotherapy.
Looking into the prevalence of colorectal cancer, and radiosensitivity of cancer cells to be an important component affecting overall patient outcomes, this topic opens a broader scope of highlighting recent advancements in research identifying intrinsic and extrinsic factors and their underlying mechanism(s) that regulate radiosensitivity and radioresistance of colorectal cancer cells. We accordingly invite researchers of oncology to contribute their research focused on defining/identifying biological factors both within the tumor and in the surrounding microenvironment regulating cell cycle, oxidative stress, hypoxia, apoptosis, DNA damage/repair, mitochondrial function, inflammation and stem cell survival with a broader aim to expand our knowledge of cancer cell radiosensitivity/radioresistance, and its implication in improving cancer patient outcomes.
Please note: manuscripts consisting solely of bioinformatics or computational analysis of public genomic or transcriptomic databases which are not accompanied by validation (independent cohort or biological validation in vitro or in vivo) are out of scope for this section and will not be accepted as part of this Research Topic.
Cancer cells respond to irradiation in a heterogeneous manner depending on their intrinsic properties for regulating their DNA damage repairs, mitochondrial functions, distribution of cells in different phases of the cell cycle, and tendency to undergo apoptosis. Furthermore, an extrinsic environment such as the degree of hypoxia within the tumor population is also an important factor for regulating response of cancer cells to radiotherapy. In addition, the degree of radio-sensitivity of cancer cells depends on the cell heterogeneity within the tumor mass that includes cancer-initiating cells or cancer stem cells. In recent years, researchers in oncology identified potential genes, miRNAs, RNA-binding proteins and stem cells-associated factors regulating the radiosensitivity of colorectal cancer cells, hence the overall effectiveness of radiotherapy. Overall goal of this research topic is to highlight the recent advancements in identifying factors and underlying mechanism(s) regulating radiosensitivity of colorectal cancer cells and their possible implications in improving the clinical effectiveness of radiotherapy.
Looking into the prevalence of colorectal cancer, and radiosensitivity of cancer cells to be an important component affecting overall patient outcomes, this topic opens a broader scope of highlighting recent advancements in research identifying intrinsic and extrinsic factors and their underlying mechanism(s) that regulate radiosensitivity and radioresistance of colorectal cancer cells. We accordingly invite researchers of oncology to contribute their research focused on defining/identifying biological factors both within the tumor and in the surrounding microenvironment regulating cell cycle, oxidative stress, hypoxia, apoptosis, DNA damage/repair, mitochondrial function, inflammation and stem cell survival with a broader aim to expand our knowledge of cancer cell radiosensitivity/radioresistance, and its implication in improving cancer patient outcomes.
Please note: manuscripts consisting solely of bioinformatics or computational analysis of public genomic or transcriptomic databases which are not accompanied by validation (independent cohort or biological validation in vitro or in vivo) are out of scope for this section and will not be accepted as part of this Research Topic.
Keywords: Cancer, Gastrointestinal, Colorectal, Resistance, Sensitivity, Irradiation
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.
