Infectious diseases and cancer are major causes of global morbidity and mortality. Although the causative agents might differ both infectious diseases and cancer have several similarities. Host cells afflicted by both infectious organisms and cancer express a multitude of proteins that are recognizable by host immune cells resulting in the elicitation of diverse immune responses and inflammatory changes. One such instance is that, it is now established that many of the hallmark mechanisms in cancer and chronic/latent infections have the potency to inhibit T-cell responses. This knowledge has contributed towards identification of biomarkers that can be targeted to enhance the suppressed T-cell responses. These biomarkers include proteins that contribute to or block immunosuppressive pathways and include several molecular targets, enzymes/cytokines/chemokines and growth factors. Several of these agents have the potential to be efficacious in patients with chronic infectious diseases also.
The study of infectious diseases and clinical microbiology are fast evolving fields that can advance our understanding of other non-infectious pathologies through the discovery of new techniques and physiological processes. Many concepts relevant to the treatment of chronic infections, including multi-drug resistance, could be applicable towards therapeutic approaches of tumors. Cancer research is also a rapidly evolving area and could be a valuable source of reference for changing the purview of infections and inflammatory disorders encountered. The fact that 20% of newly occurring cancer cases reportedly have an infectious aetiological agent and the vulnerability of immunocompromised cancer patients to infectious diseases further enhances the complexity of the interrelationship between these fields. Therefore, we strongly believe that a mutually beneficial partnership of collaboration and knowledge sharing between immuno-oncologists, infectious disease immunologists and the pharmaceutical industry could result in bringing lifesaving discoveries to the marketplace.
This Research Topic welcomes Original research and Review articles capable of bridging these fields, with a focus on but not limited to:
1. Basic/clinical/translational research capable of providing link between chronic infections & cancer or providing seed towards development of ideas across these fields.
2. Similarities in immune responses between tumor and chronic infections
3. Novel infectious aetiological agents of cancer; pathogen associated malignancies
4. Innovative molecular diagnostics and therapeutic biomarkers applicable across fields
Infectious diseases and cancer are major causes of global morbidity and mortality. Although the causative agents might differ both infectious diseases and cancer have several similarities. Host cells afflicted by both infectious organisms and cancer express a multitude of proteins that are recognizable by host immune cells resulting in the elicitation of diverse immune responses and inflammatory changes. One such instance is that, it is now established that many of the hallmark mechanisms in cancer and chronic/latent infections have the potency to inhibit T-cell responses. This knowledge has contributed towards identification of biomarkers that can be targeted to enhance the suppressed T-cell responses. These biomarkers include proteins that contribute to or block immunosuppressive pathways and include several molecular targets, enzymes/cytokines/chemokines and growth factors. Several of these agents have the potential to be efficacious in patients with chronic infectious diseases also.
The study of infectious diseases and clinical microbiology are fast evolving fields that can advance our understanding of other non-infectious pathologies through the discovery of new techniques and physiological processes. Many concepts relevant to the treatment of chronic infections, including multi-drug resistance, could be applicable towards therapeutic approaches of tumors. Cancer research is also a rapidly evolving area and could be a valuable source of reference for changing the purview of infections and inflammatory disorders encountered. The fact that 20% of newly occurring cancer cases reportedly have an infectious aetiological agent and the vulnerability of immunocompromised cancer patients to infectious diseases further enhances the complexity of the interrelationship between these fields. Therefore, we strongly believe that a mutually beneficial partnership of collaboration and knowledge sharing between immuno-oncologists, infectious disease immunologists and the pharmaceutical industry could result in bringing lifesaving discoveries to the marketplace.
This Research Topic welcomes Original research and Review articles capable of bridging these fields, with a focus on but not limited to:
1. Basic/clinical/translational research capable of providing link between chronic infections & cancer or providing seed towards development of ideas across these fields.
2. Similarities in immune responses between tumor and chronic infections
3. Novel infectious aetiological agents of cancer; pathogen associated malignancies
4. Innovative molecular diagnostics and therapeutic biomarkers applicable across fields
