New Molecular Insights in Urological Pathology

Urological malignancies, including prostate, bladder, renal, and testicular cancers, represent a major global health burden and display remarkable biological heterogeneity. Despite significant advances in surgical techniques and systemic therapies, patient outcomes remain highly variable, reflecting underlying molecular complexity that is not fully captured by conventional histopathological classification.

In recent years, the integration of molecular pathology into routine diagnostics has begun to reshape urological pathology, enabling refined tumor classification, improved prognostic stratification, and the identification of predictive biomarkers for targeted and immune-based therapies. Alterations in signaling pathways, epigenetic regulators, RNA processing machinery, tumor microenvironment components, and immune checkpoint molecules have emerged as critical drivers of tumor initiation, progression, and therapeutic resistance.

However, many molecular mechanisms remain insufficiently characterized, particularly in relation to tumor heterogeneity, lineage plasticity, treatment-induced evolution, and the interplay between neoplastic cells and their microenvironment. A deeper understanding of these processes is essential to translate molecular discoveries into clinically actionable tools for precision urological oncology.

The primary goal of this Research Topic is to explore and consolidate novel molecular insights that advance the understanding of urological diseases from a diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic perspective. This topic aims to highlight innovative studies that elucidate genetic, epigenetic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic alterations across benign, premalignant, and malignant urological conditions. Particular emphasis will be placed on molecular mechanisms underlying tumor heterogeneity, progression, immune evasion, and resistance to conventional and targeted therapies.

Additionally, this Research Topic seeks to promote the integration of molecular data with histopathology, digital pathology, and clinicopathological parameters to refine disease classification and risk stratification. Contributions addressing the discovery and validation of novel biomarkers, the development of molecularly informed diagnostic algorithms, and the identification of actionable therapeutic targets are especially encouraged. By fostering interdisciplinary approaches that bridge basic molecular research and diagnostic pathology, this topic aims to support the translation of emerging molecular knowledge into routine clinical practice, ultimately improving personalized management and outcomes for patients with urological diseases.

Article types and fees

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

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• ... View all formats

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Article types

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

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• FAIR² DATA Direct Submission
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Urological malignancies, Molecular pathology, Tumor heterogeneity, Predictive biomarkers, Precision oncology

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.