Epigenomics and Metabolomics: Pioneering New Frontiers in Breast Cancer Research and Treatment

The last decade has seen big data play a role in breast cancer diagnostics, therapeutics and prognosis. Technological advancements have caused a boom in information from various omics fields, i.e. genomics, epigenomics, proteomics, and metabolomics. While genomics has played a significant role in breast cancer research, epigenomics followed the course and has recently become the axis of extensive research in various cancers, including breast cancer therapeutics and prognosis. Considering the impact of both the external environment and internal milieu on epigenetic changes, it is worthwhile to address it as a Research Topic.
Metabolic reprogramming is responsible for tumour heterogeneity, drug resistance, stemness and aggressiveness of BC. Metabolomic analysis and integration with other omics approaches continue; metabolomics has the potential to significantly impact personalised treatment and improve outcomes for breast cancer patients.
Epigenomics is deeply entwined with and impacts metabolism and metabolic pathways. The integration of epigenetics and metabolomics offers new avenues for personalised medicine in breast cancer. Targeting metabolic vulnerabilities alongside epigenetic alterations could provide a synergistic therapeutic effect. The integration of epigenomics and metabolomics has uncovered a complex, bidirectional relationship between epigenetic regulation and cellular metabolism in breast cancer. This interplay opens avenues for innovative combination therapies targeting both epigenetic and metabolic vulnerabilities. To further advance this rapidly evolving field, we invite basic science researchers and clinical scientists, to submit their research encompassing the following aspects but not limited to:
1. Biomarker discovery using epigenomics and/or metabolomics
2. Drug resistance mechanisms related to epigenomics and/or metabolomics
3. Novel therapeutics discovery through epigenomic and/or
metabolomic approaches
4. Integration of epigenomics and/or metabolomics in personalized
medicine
5. Spatial epigenomics and metabolomics in tumour heterogeneity
6. AI and machine learning in epigenomic and metabolomic data
integration
7. Epigenetic and metabolic crosstalk in the tumour microenvironment
8. Liquid biopsy approaches using epigenomic and metabolomic
biomarkers
9. Circadian rhythm influences on cancer epigenomics and metabolism
10. Epigenetic and metabolic alterations in metastasis
11. Nutritional and environmental impacts on cancer epigenomics
and metabolism
12. Combination therapies targeting epigenetic and metabolic
vulnerabilities
Please note: Manuscripts consisting solely of bioinformatics, computational analysis, or predictions of public databases which are not accompanied by validation (independent clinical or patient cohort, or biological validation in vitro or in vivo, which are not based on public databases) are not suitable for publication in this journal.