Epigenetic Modulation in Cancer

Cancer continues to present significant challenges in clinical outcomes, notably characterized by its rapid progression, unfavorable prognoses, and low survival rates across many dimensions. Despite decades of advances, the efficacy of established treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy remains limited, primarily benefiting a small fraction of patients. These treatments often do not address the underlying issues of resistance and metastasis effectively, highlighting a critical need for novel therapeutic approaches in oncology.

This Research Topic is particularly focused on discovering the molecular mechanisms that lead to therapeutic resistance in widespread and rare cancers, with a special emphasis on lung cancer and mesothelioma. The role of epigenetic modifications, stimulated by inflammatory responses leading to DNA damage, is central to understanding how these alterations drive the development of an immunosuppressive environment within tumors, enhance drug resistance, and facilitate evasion from immune surveillance. Insights into these pathways are vital for identifying new targets for therapeutic invention, capable of potentially transforming cancer treatment paradigms.

To push the boundaries of current knowledge and provide solutions to these urgent problems, we invite contributions across various research spectrums. Articles should particularly focus on the following themes:

- Exploring the consequences of loss-of-function mutations in tumor suppressor genes and their influence on the tumor microenvironment.
- Examining the role of the cGAS-STING pathway in DNA damage responses and its linkage to resistance induced by inflammation.
- Delving into how epigenetic reprogramming assists in immune evasion.
- Identifying new epigenetic targets for drug development.
- Crafting novel therapeutic strategies utilizing epigenetic modifiers to reshape the tumor microenvironment.

Submissions that rely solely on bioinformatics or computational analysis of public genomic or transcriptomic databases will not be considered unless they include robust validation through independent cohorts or verified through biological experiments, both in vitro and in vivo.

Through a comprehensive exploration of these areas, this Research Topic strives to significantly enhance our understanding of cancer's resilience mechanisms and pave the way for more effective treatments.

Keywords: Cancer epigenetic, epigenetic modulation, epigenetic modification, cancer

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.