Cancer Genomics in Precision Medicine: From Biomarker Discovery to Therapeutic Targeting

The field of cancer genomics is rapidly evolving, driven by advanced technologies that enable detailed characterization of cancer initiation, progression, metastasis, and treatment response at the molecular and cellular levels. Emerging technologies such as high-throughput sequencing, multi-omics approaches, and liquid biopsy have broadened our knowledge of genomic alterations and cancer heterogeneity, while also identifying various cancer biomarkers with clinical relevance. Genomic biomarkers are increasingly being employed for early diagnosis, treatment selection, and the prediction of therapeutic responses. Scientific progress in this field has transformed oncology and revolutionized precision medicine, shifting treatment paradigms from a generalized approach to personalized treatment strategies tailored to the molecular profile of each patient’s tumor.

Despite major progress in the field, challenges remain in translating genomic insights into clinical practice. Therefore, more studies are warranted to integrate fundamental aspects of cancer biology with clinical and translational research. By focusing on personalized therapeutic strategies and translational applications, we can enrich the scientific landscape and advance more effective, individualized cancer care.

This Research Topic aims to explore the advances in cancer genomics that drive precision medicine, spanning from biomarker discovery to therapeutic targeting. Recent advances in high-throughput sequencing have led to the identification of novel biomarkers and new therapeutic targets. Despite the remarkable progress in identifying molecular alterations associated with cancer initiation and progression, a large number of genomic findings have not yet been clinically validated. Moreover, the biological complexity of tumor cells and acquired resistance remain the key challenges to the effectiveness of existing targeted therapies.

The goal of this Research Topic is to consolidate studies that enhance our understanding of cancer genomics and facilitate the translation of these findings into future therapeutic strategies. By integrating basic, translational, and clinical research, this collection seeks to advance biomarker discovery, improve patient stratification, and accelerate the translation of genomic findings into effective, personalized clinical decision-making and targeted therapeutics.

This Research Topic welcomes in silico biomarker discovery studies, provided they utilize new data analysis methodologies verified through independent datasets, or include appropriate experimental validation. Additionally, studies investigating non-genomic biomarkers are welcome, provided they are directly linked to the underlying genetic, genomic, or molecular mechanisms of cancer development and progression.

Areas to be covered in this Research Topic may include, but are not limited to:
• Discovery and validation of genomic biomarkers for cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutics.
• Tumor heterogeneity, clonal evolution, and resistance mechanisms across cancer cell types
• Liquid biopsy and circulating genomic biomarkers in precision oncology.
• Single-cell, spatial, and multi-omics approaches in biomarker discovery and precision oncology applications.
• Artificial intelligence and bioinformatics applications in precision medicine
• Genomics-guided therapeutic strategies and precision oncology.
• Targeted therapies and small-molecule drug development based on genomic alterations

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
• Systematic Review

Keywords: cancer genomics, precision oncology, genomic biomarkers, liquid biopsy, circulating tumor DNA, tumor heterogeneity, clonal evolution, therapy resistance, multi-omics integration, single-cell sequencing, spatial transcriptomics, targeted therapy

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.