Call for papers - Altered DNA repair mechanism in tumorigenesis

Guest Editors:
Kiyohiro Ando, MD, PhD, Saitama Cancer Center, Research Institute for Clinical Oncology, Japan
Pietro Di Fazio, PhD, Department of Visceral, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, Philipps University Marburg, Germany
Zhihua Kang, PhD, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, United States

Submission Status: Open | Submission Deadline: 20 July 2024

BMC Cancer is calling for submissions to our Collection on Altered DNA repair mechanism in tumorigenesis. We invite contributions on various aspects, including the impact of mutations in DNA repair-related genes in hereditary cancer syndromes, the interplay between DNA repair deficiencies and immune checkpoint inhibition in cancer therapy, and novel therapeutic strategies targeting established altered DNA repair pathways in tumorigenesis.

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Meet the Guest Editors

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Kiyohiro Ando, MD, PhD, Saitama Cancer Center, Research Institute for Clinical Oncology, Japan

Dr Kiyohiro Ando is a deputy department director of the Research Institute for Clinical Oncology at Saitama Cancer Center, Japan. His work focuses specifically on the DNA damage responses of cancer cells and their impact on the choice of the optimal therapeutic approach. Biology of neuroblastoma and urothelial cancer are of particular interest in his research field.

Pietro Di Fazio, PhD, Philipps University Marburg, Germany

Dr Pietro Di Fazio, PhD in Experimental Cancer Biology, is a senior scientist and principal investigator of the research lab of the Department of Visceral, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery at the Philipps University of Marburg. His two decades experience in the research regarding molecular mechanisms of cell death and epigenetics in neuroendocrine, endocrine and gastrointestinal cancer are evidenced by more than seventy peer-reviewed scientific publications. His most recent research focuses on the identification of novel biomarkers and the molecular mechanisms activated by irradiation and immunotherapy.

Zhihua Kang, MD, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, United States

Zhihua Kang received his MD training in Huashan Hospital Fudan University in Shanghai, China and completed postdoctoral research in the lab of Prof Bing Xia at Rutgers Cancer Institute in New Jersey, United States. Now, he acts as the research associate at Rutgers Cancer Institute. His main research area is DNA repair and replication in cancer chemotherapy and immunotherapy.

About the Collection

The constant repair of DNA damage is crucial for maintaining genomic stability in human cells. Dysregulation of such DNA repair pathways can lead to the persistence of DNA damage, the accumulations of oncogenic mutations, and uncontrolled growth, features desired by cancer cells. Understanding how DNA repair pathways are subverted in cancer is not only essential to deciphering the complexities of cancer biology, but it also holds therapeutic implications: it can lead to the development of novel therapies or optimization of existing treatments.

Targeted therapies, such as PARP inhibitors in BRCA-mutated cancers, underscore the therapeutic potential of inhibiting unfavored DNA repair mechanisms. Additionally, identifying individuals with genetic mutations in DNA repair-associated genes can aid in personalized cancer risk assessment and support informed treatment decisions. This knowledge can be instrumental in managing hereditary cancer syndromes and predicting patient responses to certain treatments, such as targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and radiotherapy.

In recognition of this relevant field, BMC Cancer has launched this Collection, Altered DNA repair mechanism in tumorigenesis. We encourage submissions addressing topics including but not limited to:

Identification of novel DNA repair pathway mechanisms
New insights into DNA repair mechanisms and their contribution to cancer replication stress
Altered DNA repair mechanisms in cancer stem cells
Novel DNA repair-associated gene mutations in hereditary cancer syndromes
Interplay between genomic instability and DNA repair deficiencies in driving tumorigenesis
DNA repair's involvement in chromosomal translocations and their relevance in cancer initiation and tumorigenesis
Novel therapeutic approaches in targeting altered DNA repair pathways in cancer
New insights into DNA damage response in the context of immune checkpoint inhibition
Targeting DNA repair rescue pathways to improve radiotherapy sensitivity

Image credit: immimagery / stock.adobe.com

There are currently no articles in this collection.

Submission Guidelines

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This Collection welcomes submission of original Research Articles. Should you wish to submit a different article type, please read our submission guidelines to confirm that type is accepted by the journal. Articles for this Collection should be submitted via our submission system, Snapp. During the submission process you will be asked whether you are submitting to a Collection, please select Altered DNA repair mechanism in tumorigenesis from the dropdown menu.

Articles will undergo the journal’s standard peer-review process and are subject to all of the journal’s standard policies. Articles will be added to the Collection as they are published.

The Editors have no competing interests with the submissions which they handle through the peer review process. The peer review of any submissions for which the Editors have competing interests is handled by another Editorial Board Member who has no competing interests.