About this Research Topic

Background

The tumor microenvironment encompasses not only the tumor cells themselves but also the surrounding fibroblasts, immunological and inflammatory cells, glial cells, other cells, interstitial cells, microvessels, and biomolecules infiltrating the surrounding area. The tumor cells' internal and external environments influence tumor occurrence, development, and metastasis. Changes in metabolism, secretion, immunology, shape, and function in systemic and local tissues can also restrict and impact the onset and development of tumors.

Malignant cells diversify and become more heterogeneous during carcinogenesis and metastasis. As a result, several immune-related components, such as the cytokine/chemokine environment, cytotoxic activities, or immunosuppressive factors, may infiltrate tumors. Almost all solid tumors include heterogeneity, which varies geographically and temporally with tumor progression and treatment intervention. Anti-tumor immune heterogeneity is linked to disease progression and treatment reactivity, particularly in immunotherapy.

The advent of next-generation sequencing technology (NGS) allows cancer centers worldwide to deliver tailored treatment, particularly for malignancies that have no defined treatment plan now. Personalized therapy is a novel treatment based on the tumor's genetic characteristics. It has nothing to do with the tumor's origin tissue. Still, it does necessitate understanding how changes in tumor microgenetics, tumor microenvironment, cell heterogeneity, and cell interaction ultimately lead to tumor growth, vulnerability, and treatment response. The molecular profile and functional responses of tumor cells and the composition, spatial organization, and interactions of the cells that make up tumor tissue can now be analyzed in great detail thanks to technological advancements.

Currently, multi-omics analysis has greatly improved our understanding of tumor microenvironment and tumor heterogeneity. Recent research has proven the promise of examining the complexity of tumor immunological heterogeneity and its therapeutic relevance in immunotherapy using multi-omics sequencing, single-cell sequencing, and longitudinal liquid biopsy approaches. Exploring the mechanisms of tumor microenvironment heterogeneity will help us better understand tumor heterogeneity in the clinic, allowing us to build more effective customized therapies.

This Research Topic aims to focus on the advances in the discovery of tumor microenvironment and tumor heterogeneity based on muti-omics analysis. We welcome the submission of original research and review articles that include biomarkers in clinical studies and applications and technologies or discoveries in experimental approaches.

• Novel biomarkers in the tumor microenvironment.
• Stratification of tumor patients based on the changes in the tumor microenvironment.
• Study on the regulatory mechanism of tumor immune microenvironment.
• Using second-generation sequencing (NGS) to explore the gene profile in the tumor microenvironment.
• Exploration of the tumor microenvironment and tumor heterogeneity based on single-cell sequencing analysis.
• Bioinformatics analysis to construct prognostic models associated with tumor microenvironment and tumor heterogeneity.

Please note that bioinformatic papers need a combination of the genome and transcriptome data, not just individual genomes data analysis or individual transcriptome data analysis and for totally no less than 500 patient cases.
The Manuscripts consisting solely of bioinformatics or computational analysis of public genomic or transcriptomic databases which are not accompanied by robust and relevant validation (clinical cohort or biological validation in vitro or in vivo) are out of scope for this topic. Descriptive studies will not be considered for review unless they are extended to provide meaningful insights into gene/protein function and/or the biology of the subject described. Brief Research Reports, Data Reports, Genome Announcements, Systematic Reviews, and Case Reports will not undergo the peer-review process.

Keywords: Tumor microenvironment, Tumor heterogeneity, Multi-omics analysis, Tumor immunity, Immunotherapy

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.

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