About this Research Topic
Cell-intrinsic and cell-extrinsic factors can contribute to plasticity within the tumor including the TME. The patient’s innate immunity, level of local and systemic inflammation, microbiome balance and even the level of stress, are thought to play a role. Heterogeneity within tumors, within each patient and across different patients, contributes to added complexity. Furthermore, the adaptive changes occurring within the tumor and patient, including those resulting from cancer treatment(s) that can contribute to the development of cross-resistance, pose an even greater challenge for determining the optimal treatment regimens for each patient.
Recent advances in technologies including single cell and spatial analysis of tumors, including liquid biopsies from patients, are enabling greater understanding and paving the way for the potential to monitor changes and design more effective personalized therapeutic strategies. This Research Topics aims to expand the focus to aspects of cross-talk between the cancer cells and the other cells within the TME, as well as various host factors that contribute to immunity, therapeutic resistance and patient outcomes.
Please note: manuscripts consisting solely of bioinformatics or computational analysis of public genomic or transcriptomic databases which are not accompanied by validation (independent cohort or biological validation in vitro or in vivo) are out of scope for this section and will not be accepted as part of this Research Topic.
Keywords: cancer cell plasticity, tumour microenvironment (TME), cross-talk, immunity, therapeutic resistance, treatment regimens, patient outcomes
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