Novel Targets and Therapeutic Strategies for Overcoming Drug Resistance in Hematologic Malignancies

Hematologic malignancies, characterized by their escalating incidence rates, represent a significant health challenge worldwide. As patients undergo prolonged treatment regimens, resistance to therapies such as chemotherapy, targeted agents, antibody therapies, and chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapies becomes increasingly prevalent, leading to high rates of treatment failure and mortality. The mechanisms underlying this resistance are complex and multifaceted, including genetic mutations, epigenetic modifications, and influences from the tumor microenvironment, alongside the activation of alternative compensatory signaling pathways. Despite recent technological advances in genomics and proteomics that have identified promising therapeutic targets, there remains a critical need to continually pinpoint and validate these targets more rigorously.

This Research Topic aims to confront the critical challenge of drug resistance in hematologic malignancies, focusing on the identification of innovative therapeutic targets and the formulation of novel treatment strategies. It seeks to leverage cutting-edge tools such as genomics and proteomics for uncovering new targets, while also delving into epigenetic mechanisms and tumor microenvironment factors that contribute to drug resistance. Meanwhile, it encourages the design and development of new targeted drugs, including naturally occurring small molecules with biological activity. It also highlights the role of antibody and CAR-T cell therapies in overcoming resistance. Additionally, it explores the potential for overcoming resistance through enhanced targeted therapies, the combination of immunotherapy with conventional treatments, and the application of epigenetic drugs. This proposal aims to explore these opportunities, focusing on translating basic research findings into clinical applications to benefit patients. By bridging the gaps between laboratory discoveries and clinical implementation, we aim to introduce new paradigms in cancer therapy that not only mitigate drug resistance but also improve patient survival and quality of life.

To push the boundaries of current knowledge in drug resistance, we welcome contributions that address the following themes:

• Identification of novel therapeutic targets for overcoming drug resistance in hematologic malignancies
• Optimizing and developing targeted small-molecule drugs to overcome drug resistance in hematologic malignancies
• Naturally-derived small molecules that overcome drug resistance in hematologic malignancies
• Developing drugs that simultaneously target multiple signaling pathways or molecular targets to reduce the occurrence of resistance
• Development and evaluation of innovative combination therapies, including antibody and CAR-T cell therapies, to enhance therapeutic efficacy

We invite submissions in the form of Original Research articles, Reviews, and Brief Reports. Manuscripts that provide multidisciplinary perspectives or propose integrative strategies are particularly encouraged. Authors should aim to present novel insights that contribute to advancing cancer treatment.

Please note:
1) If genetic, proteomics, metabolomics, or other omics data are analyzed, a comprehensive description of the methods and the rationale for the selection of the specific data studied should be provided.
2) To include in this Research Topic studies on molecules with biological activity obtained from natural product, herbal extracts, or traditional medicines, these molecules should be highly purified, have a known chemical structure, and tested isolated and at known concentrations to ensure reproducibility.
3) Studies solely based on the analysis of public databases or published evidence, with no further experimental insights or experimental validation, will not be included in this Research Topic.

Keywords: Therapeutic targets, Drug discovery, Combination therapy strategies, Hematologic Malignancies

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.