Advancements in Understanding and Treating Rare Tumors

Rare tumors are defined as cancers with an incidence of less than 6 per 100,000 persons per year. Due to their low prevalence, rare tumors pose unique challenges, including delayed diagnosis, limited understanding of their biology, and fewer established treatment protocols. The scarcity of research and clinical trials focused on rare tumors further complicates the development of effective therapies. Current research efforts aim to bridge these gaps by enhancing our understanding of the genetic, molecular, and cellular mechanisms underlying rare tumors. There is a critical need for innovative methodologies and collaborative research to identify new therapeutic targets and improve patient outcomes.

This Research Topic seeks to provide a comprehensive overview of current and emerging strategies for understanding and treating adult rare tumors. By expanding our knowledge base and leveraging advancements in technology and biomedical research, we aim to address the unmet needs in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of these cancers. Our goal is to foster a multidisciplinary dialogue among cancer cell biologists, driving innovative research efforts and ultimately improving clinical outcomes for patients affected by rare tumors. In this Research topic, our interest is focused but not limited to: sarcoma, neuroendocrine tumors , central nervous system tumors, hematological tumors.

Areas to be covered might include but are not limited to:

o Innovative therapy strategies for adult rare tumors, focusing on cutting-edge therapies, including immunotherapy and targeted agents.

o Exploration of natural compounds as potential therapeutic agents in the treatment of rare tumors.

o Examination of the tumor niche, including the role of the tumor microenvironment and interactions with stromal and immune cells.

o Investigation into cancer stem cells, including their identification, characteristics, and therapeutic targeting in rare tumors.

o Analysis of molecular mechanisms and epigenetic alterations that drive tumorigenesis in rare cancers.

o Development and application of novel methodologies, such as advanced in vitro and in vivo models, CRISPR-Cas9, and single-cell RNA sequencing, to study rare tumor biology.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: rare tumors, adult rare cancers, rare cancer research, rare tumor biology, rare cancer diagnosis, rare tumor incidence, Immunotherapy in rare tumors, Innovative therapies for rare tumors, Rare sarcomas, Neuroendocrine tumors, NETs, Rare hematological malignancies, Rare brain tumors

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.