Decoding Cancer: The Role of Pathology and Biomarkers in Tumor Biology

Cancer biology is a rapidly evolving field, with pathology and biomarker research at the forefront of innovations in diagnosis, classification, and management. In recent years, diverse molecular techniques such as multiplex immunohistochemistry, high-throughput genomics, and digital image analysis have significantly enriched our understanding of tumor biology and heterogeneity. A range of biomarkers - including genetic mutations (EGFR, BRAF, BRCA1/2), epigenetic modifications, transcriptomic and proteomic profiles, features of the tumor microenvironment, and circulating tumor-derived analytes – could become promising tools in the traditional histopathology for disease presence, predicting clinical course, and guiding therapeutic interventions. Despite remarkable progress, ongoing challenges such as assay standardization, data interpretation, and equitable clinical application underscore the necessity for continued investigation and collaborative efforts in this domain.

This Research Topic aims to advance knowledge on the integration of pathology and biomarker science in cancer research to improve patient outcomes. Specifically, it seeks to highlight the utility of novel technologies and multi-omics approaches in unraveling tumor complexity, elucidating mechanisms of disease progression, and informing personalized therapies. Contributors are encouraged to critically assess barriers and opportunities within the translational pipeline, explore strategies for validation and implementation, and discuss the future trajectory of biomarker-driven precision oncology. The goal is to promote interdisciplinary exchange and foster development of solutions that bridge the gap between research discovery and clinical practice.

This Research Topic welcomes studies that address the interface of pathological assessment and biomarker analysis across all types of cancer. Both basic and translational investigations are encouraged, as well as reviews, case studies, and opinion pieces that propose new frameworks or highlight pressing gaps. Relevant areas include, but are not limited to:

- Molecular and digital pathology advancements.
- Identification and validation of novel cancer biomarkers.
- Integration of multi-omics data for cancer classification and prognosis.
- Circulating biomarkers and liquid biopsy technologies.
- Roles of the tumor microenvironment in biomarker discovery.
- Implementation challenges for precision oncology.
- Standards and reproducibility in biomarker research.


Please note that manuscripts consisting solely of bioinformatics or computational analysis of public genomic or transcriptomic databases that are not accompanied by validation (independent cohort or biological validation in vitro or in vivo) are out of the scope of this Research Topic.

Dr. Smits is affiliated with MLA Diagnostics as part of their Advisory Board.
Dr. Samarska and Dr. Nicolazzo declared no conflicts of interest.

Article types and fees

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

• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• 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:

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

Keywords: Novel cancer biomarkers, Circulating biomarkers, Biomarker discovery, biomarker research, tumor biomarker.

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.