Gastrointestinal, including colorectal, pancreatic and gastric cancers, as well as hepatic cancers represent a significant portion of cancer incidence and mortality worldwide. Significant challenges in disease treatment exist, which reflects the need to further our understanding of mechanisms that underly disease development and progression, as well as the identification of novel targets for therapy. The role of tumor microenvironment (TME) is emerging as an important player in shaping disease progression and determining response to therapy. Additionally, there is evidence that the gut microbiome can influence the development GI and liver malignancy. Understanding these aspects, as well as developing novel combinations using cutting-edge technologies and pre-clinical models, are important to improve therapeutics and outcomes for patients with GI and liver cancers.
The aims of this Research Topic is to explore novel mechanisms and targets within the field of GI and hepatic cancers. We aim to present novel research investigating novel targets, the role of TME, host microbiome in malignancy. We also aim to showcase the use of novel technologies and models used to investigate these aspects as well as novel anti-cancer strategies.
We welcome all study types including original research, case reports and review articles that focus on, but not limited to, one of the following themes:
1- Understanding the contribution and evolution of the tumor microenvironment, and its targeting
2- Mechanisms and targeting of GI cancer metastasis
3- The role of the gut microbiome in cancer biology and therapy
4- Novel combinatorial approaches for anti-cancer therapy
5- Novel technologies and pre-clinical models for GI cancers.
Keywords: Gastroinstenstinal cancer, pancreatic cancer, colorectal, liver cancer, tumor microenvironment, targeted therapy, gut microbiome
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.
