Combination therapy is the standard of care in cancer management as it offers multiple advantages in terms of improving response to therapy, overcoming cancer resistance, and addressing cancer heterogeneity. A major challenge in finding a single effective treatment is that many cancer types are heterogeneous and rapidly develop intrinsic or acquired resistance. With the progressive expansion of anticancer treatments, the rational design of combination treatments becomes increasingly challenging with the great number of potential combinations possible. The discovery of new therapeutic targets along with the introduction of new cancer treatments can further enrich ongoing research on novel combinations to treat solid tumors. A newly evolving aspect of cancer therapeutics includes drug repositioning/repurposing, which provides new horizons for the rational design of combined anticancer therapies.
In this Research Topic we would like to include Original Research and Review articles describing:
1) Combinations of natural compounds with pharmacologic anticancer drugs (plant, microbe, or marine-derived origin).
2) Combinations of immunotherapy with anticancer targeted and/or chemotherapeutic drugs.
3) Combinations of anticancer drugs to reverse cancer resistance. Multiple molecular mechanisms contribute to the development of acquired cancer resistance such as enhanced drug efflux through efflux pumps, activation of DNA repair mechanisms, reduced apoptosis, enhanced autophagy, alterations to molecular therapeutic targets, alterations in cancer cell epigenome, and/or oncogene-switching to alternatives mitogenic pathways. Combined strategies addressing pathways responsible for resistance could improve response to chemotherapeutic/targeted drug therapy and sensitize cancer cells to treatment.
4) Combinations of anticancer drugs with other pharmacologic treatments to enhance drug uptake and delivery to cancer cells. Biologic agents such as monoclonal antibodies have been increasingly recognized as delivery systems to allow targeted delivery of cytotoxic cancer drug therapies to cancer cells. Also, nanoparticle delivery systems allow the delivery of combination treatments to cancer cells for improved response and reduced systemic toxicity.
For manuscripts dealing with plant extracts, or crude fractions, the composition and the stability of the study material must be described in sufficient detail. In particular, for extracts, analytical chromatograms with the characterization of the dominating compound(s) are requested. For manuscripts dealing with pure natural compounds, the level of purity must be proven and included. The level of purity must be proven and included. Characterization of pure natural products must be based on spectroscopic evidence including 1H and 13C NMR data. The degree of purity must be specified by using HPLC analysis and preferably if possible quantitative 1HNMR analysis. A minimum purity of =90% must be proven for any compound used in biological studies. If the compound was optically active, optical purity must be based on reported specific rotation value and/or CD/ORD data.
Combination therapy is the standard of care in cancer management as it offers multiple advantages in terms of improving response to therapy, overcoming cancer resistance, and addressing cancer heterogeneity. A major challenge in finding a single effective treatment is that many cancer types are heterogeneous and rapidly develop intrinsic or acquired resistance. With the progressive expansion of anticancer treatments, the rational design of combination treatments becomes increasingly challenging with the great number of potential combinations possible. The discovery of new therapeutic targets along with the introduction of new cancer treatments can further enrich ongoing research on novel combinations to treat solid tumors. A newly evolving aspect of cancer therapeutics includes drug repositioning/repurposing, which provides new horizons for the rational design of combined anticancer therapies.
In this Research Topic we would like to include Original Research and Review articles describing:
1) Combinations of natural compounds with pharmacologic anticancer drugs (plant, microbe, or marine-derived origin).
2) Combinations of immunotherapy with anticancer targeted and/or chemotherapeutic drugs.
3) Combinations of anticancer drugs to reverse cancer resistance. Multiple molecular mechanisms contribute to the development of acquired cancer resistance such as enhanced drug efflux through efflux pumps, activation of DNA repair mechanisms, reduced apoptosis, enhanced autophagy, alterations to molecular therapeutic targets, alterations in cancer cell epigenome, and/or oncogene-switching to alternatives mitogenic pathways. Combined strategies addressing pathways responsible for resistance could improve response to chemotherapeutic/targeted drug therapy and sensitize cancer cells to treatment.
4) Combinations of anticancer drugs with other pharmacologic treatments to enhance drug uptake and delivery to cancer cells. Biologic agents such as monoclonal antibodies have been increasingly recognized as delivery systems to allow targeted delivery of cytotoxic cancer drug therapies to cancer cells. Also, nanoparticle delivery systems allow the delivery of combination treatments to cancer cells for improved response and reduced systemic toxicity.
For manuscripts dealing with plant extracts, or crude fractions, the composition and the stability of the study material must be described in sufficient detail. In particular, for extracts, analytical chromatograms with the characterization of the dominating compound(s) are requested. For manuscripts dealing with pure natural compounds, the level of purity must be proven and included. The level of purity must be proven and included. Characterization of pure natural products must be based on spectroscopic evidence including 1H and 13C NMR data. The degree of purity must be specified by using HPLC analysis and preferably if possible quantitative 1HNMR analysis. A minimum purity of =90% must be proven for any compound used in biological studies. If the compound was optically active, optical purity must be based on reported specific rotation value and/or CD/ORD data.
