Topic: Genomic and Genetic Alterations Associated with Cancer Drug Resistance

Despite the advancements in cancer therapies over the past decade, which have improved cancer patients' life expectancy, drug resistance remains a significant challenge in cancer treatment. Cancer cells frequently acquire resistance to therapies and evade the immune system through various mechanisms, leading to treatment failure and poor prognosis. Commonly reported tumor resistance mechanisms are genetic mutations (such as BRCA1 in breast cancer or EGFR in lung cancer) and epigenetic alterations (such as non-coding RNAs), abnormally enhanced drug efflux (such as P-glycoprotein) and alteration in drug metabolism (i.e., cytochrome P450 enzymes), and deregulation of DNA repair mechanisms and defective apoptotic signaling pathways. Moreover, alteration of the tumor microenvironment (TME) and dormancy of cancer stem cells are associated with residual disease and tumor repopulation after treatment. These mechanisms have been reported to act independently or in combination to promote drug resistance. The complexity of drug resistance highlights the importance of developing combination therapies and personalized treatments to overcome or prevent the emergence of resistant tumor clones in cancer patients. This Special Issue aims to publish original research articles, clinical reports, and review articles that shed light on drug resistance in cancer treatment. 

Proposed topics include, but are not limited to: 

1. Genetic mutations or gene expression associated with drug sensitivity and drug resistance;

2. Epigenetic modifications in drug-resistant cancer cells; 

3. Non-coding RNAs associated with cancer drug resistance;

4. Biomarkers for the prediction of drug response or failure;

5. Tumor microenvironment (TME) and drug resistance;

6. Immunotherapy and cancer vaccines to eliminate drug-resistant cancer cells;

7. Novel therapies to overcome the resistance of cancer cells.