Over two decades from the first publication of the Hallmarks of Cancer, proposed in the millennium by Douglas Hanahan and Robert Weinberg, the landscape of cancer research has changed significantly. In 2010, a total of ten hallmarks (six established and four emerging) were solidified to provide a set of criteria to describe how normal, healthy cells can eventually transform to malignant tumors through a successive number of emerging characteristics.
Over time, it has been confirmed that tumors are comprised of a plethora of heterogenic cell types, interacting and communicating to build resistance against therapies, innate defense mechanisms and drive proliferation. Furthermore, it is more thoroughly understood now how exactly the tumor microenvironment influences disease progression and clinical outcomes something the more recent hallmarks contribute significantly to. By understanding such processes and integrating the interactions they form with novel therapeutics, we can develop a deeper understanding of how mutagenic cells form and survive.
We at Frontiers would like to commemorate the incredible research and advancements made surrounding these principles over the last decade by introducing this special series within our Oncology Journal. By collecting pioneering research focusing on these principles, we hope to allow for Open Access platforms to drive the next decade of change and technological growth within the oncology field. In this initiative, we want to focus on the many aspects involved in Cancer treatment. From diagnostics, therapies and management, it is imperative to understand how they all fit together within the Hallmarks of Cancer to benefit the patient and pioneer research. Furthermore, we want to explore recent research in the emerging hallmarks identified a decade ago to honor recent advances made within that particular area. While simultaneously horizon scanning and looking to the future of where this might take us.
Hallmark of Cancer: Reprogramming of Cellular Metabolism
Cancer by definition is the uncontrolled growth of tissue within an organism, but to drive this proliferation malignant tissue must increase its own metabolic rate to sustain the tumors progression. Normally, aerobic respiration is used to create energy however, a process known as the Warburg effect explains how cancer cells will preferentially alter their metabolism to respire anaerobically . In this special issue, we aim to shed light on the role metabolic reprogramming plays in tumor growth and survival. We hope to analyze how these pathways can be targeted for treatment and disease management.
This Research Topic welcomes high-quality Original Research and Review, and Perspective articles highlighting the evolution in our understanding of cancer metabolism and postulating where we can progress from here, We aim to celebrate the advances made within the last ten years and the many to come.
See below for other collections in the Hallmarks series:
Hallmark of Cancer: Avoiding Immune SuppressionHallmark of Cancer: Genomic Instability and MutationsHallmark of Cancer: Resisting Cell DeathHallmark of Cancer: Sustained ProliferativeHallmark of Cancer: Inducing Angiogenesis Hallmark of Cancer: Replicative ImmortalityHallmark of Cancer: Evasion of Growth SuppressorsHallmark of Cancer: Reprogramming of Cellular MetabolismHallmark of Cancer: Activating Invasion and MetastasisHallmark of Cancer: Tumor Promoting InflammationPlease note: manuscripts consisting solely of bioinformatics, computational analysis, or predictions of public databases which are not accompanied by validation (independent cohort or biological validation in vitro or in vivo) will not be accepted in any of the sections of Frontiers in Oncology.
