Clonal Heterogeneity and Tumor Evolution: Implications for Cancer Therapy

Despite advancements in cancer therapy, treatment resistance and disease recurrence remain formidable obstacles to achieving long-term remission and cure. One of the fundamental drivers of therapeutic resistance and disease progression is clonal heterogeneity within tumors, which arises from genomic instability, mutational processes, and selective pressures imposed by the tumor microenvironment. Understanding clonal heterogeneity and tumor evolution is crucial for devising effective cancer therapy strategies. Tumors are heterogeneous entities that comprise a diverse population of cells with distinct genetic and phenotypic profiles. This intratumoral heterogeneity poses challenges for targeted therapies, as different subclones within a tumor may exhibit varying responses to treatment. Furthermore, Tumor evolution, driven by the dynamic interplay between clonal selection, genetic drift, and clonal expansion, leads to the emergence of therapy-resistant clones and the acquisition of aggressive phenotypes. Therefore, therapies that target multiple pathways or exploit evolutionary vulnerabilities may be more effective in managing heterogeneous tumors. In conclusion, recognizing the complexity of clonal heterogeneity and tumor evolution is essential for optimizing cancer therapy and improving patient outcomes.

This research topic aims to highlight the latest advances in tumor evolution and heterogeneity. We invite original research articles, reviews, and case reports on the identification of novel mechanisms, druggable targets, and combination therapies. We hope this Research Topic will advance our understanding of tumor evolution and heterogeneity and pave the way toward improved clinical management of cancer. Specifically, research that focuses on the following sup-topics is highly welcome.
● key driver mutations or signaling pathways in therapy-resistant tumor clones.
● Heterogeneity of the tumor immune microenvironment and its clinical relevance.
● The impact of tumor microenvironment on clonal evolution, cancer heterogeneity, and drug resistance.
● Potential targets and therapeutic strategies in managing tumor heterogeneity and relapse-associated evolution.

Please note: Manuscripts consisting solely of bioinformatics, computational analysis, or predictions of public databases which are not accompanied by validation (independent clinical or patient cohort, or biological validation in vitro or in vivo, which are not based on public databases) are not suitable for publication in this journal.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• ... View all formats

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Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Clonal Heterogeneity, Tumor Evolution, Therapy, Target

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.