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Urogenital Cancers: New Molecular and Translational Aspects on Carcinogenesis and...
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Urogenital Cancers: New Molecular and Translational Aspects on Carcinogenesis and Treatments (2nd Edition)

A special issue of Biomedicines (ISSN 2227-9059). This special issue belongs to the section "Cancer Biology and Oncology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 3706

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Silvia Di Agostino

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Oncogenomic and Epigenetic Unit, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, 00144 Rome, Italy
Interests: genomic instability; cell cycle checkpoints; dna repair; transcriptional regulation; molecular oncology; head and neck; p53 family; mutant p53; hippo pathway
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Vittoria Rago

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, Arcavacata di Rende, 87036 Cosenza, Italy
Interests: male reproduction; testicular cancer; prostate cancer
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Anna Perri

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University “Magna Graecia” Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy
Interests: molecular biology; signal transduction; p75NTR-signaling; apoptosis; autophagy; EMT; renal and peritoneal fibrosis; inflammation; biological activity of natural compounds in cancer and chronic diseases
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to invite you to submit a manuscript to the Special Issue “Urogenital Cancers: New Molecular and Translational Aspects on Carcinogenesis and Treatments (2nd Edition)”. Most types of urogenital cancer present with non-specific symptoms and, diagnosis is often late.

Despite progress in the most innovative tumor therapies, the appearance of chemoresistance and metastasis represents a common cause of death in patients suffering from urological neoplasms. Therefore, it is necessary to develop new early diagnosis approaches and therapies that can improve treatment outcomes. For this purpose, it seems important to implement our understanding of the molecular mechanisms that occur in urological tumors and undertake research on molecular biomarkers capable of predicting tumor behavior and the risk of disease recurrence and chemoresistance.

The main aim of this Special Issue is to publish original research articles and reviews relating to urological neoplasms.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

The aspects to address are as follows:

  • Molecular mechanisms involved in the carcinogenesis of urogenital tumors;
  • New treatment and diagnosis approaches for urogenital tumors;
  • Identification of specific molecular targets for urogenital tumors;
  • New knowledge on etiological factors (viruses, nutrition, and environmental contaminants).

Dr. Silvia Di Agostino
Dr. Vittoria Rago
Dr. Anna Perri
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Biomedicines is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • prostate cancer
  • bladder cancer
  • renal cell carcinoma
  • testicular cancer
  • ovarian cancer
  • endometrial cancer
  • carcinogenesis
  • biomarkers
  • early diagnosis
  • upper urinary tract tumors
  • diagnosis
  • treatment
  • environmental factors
  • diet

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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28 pages, 5344 KB  
Article
Integrated Molecular, Genomic, and Clinical Characterization of Pediatric and Adolescent Translocation Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Report from the Children’s Oncology Group
by Alissa Groenendijk, Bruce J. Aronow, Nicholas Cost, Mariana Cajaiba, Lindsay A. Renfro, Elizabeth J. Perlman, Lisa Dyer, Teresa A. Smolarek, Elizabeth A. Mullen, Sameed Pervaiz, Somak Roy, Phillip J. Dexheimer, Peixin Lu, Peter F. Ehrlich, M. M. van den Heuvel-Eibrink, Jeffrey S. Dome, James I. Geller and on behalf of the COG Renal Tumor Committee
Biomedicines 2026, 14(5), 955; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines14050955 - 22 Apr 2026
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Abstract
Background: Translocation morphology renal cell carcinoma (tRCC) accounts for nearly half of all pediatric RCC cases. Biological study AREN14B4-Q aimed to characterize the molecular landscape of tRCC using samples acquired from patients enrolled in the Children’s Oncology Group Risk Classification and Biobanking [...] Read more.
Background: Translocation morphology renal cell carcinoma (tRCC) accounts for nearly half of all pediatric RCC cases. Biological study AREN14B4-Q aimed to characterize the molecular landscape of tRCC using samples acquired from patients enrolled in the Children’s Oncology Group Risk Classification and Biobanking study AREN03B2. Methods: From 2006 to 2014, patients <30 yr old with renal tumors were prospectively enrolled in AREN03B2, a Central IRB-approved biobanking study. All pediatric RCC cases underwent a detailed central pathology review and molecular diagnostics to accurately classify RCC subtypes. Samples with confirmed tRCC and appropriate informed consent were identified with adequate tissue for RNA and DNA extraction, along with germline DNA, for whole-genome sequencing (WGS), RNA sequencing, and DNA methylation analyses. Results: From 41 patients, high-quality samples allowed for 18 tumors and non-tumor DNA to be analyzed via WGS, 19 via DNA methylation, and 36 RNA samples via transcriptome sequencing. Consistent with and extending clinical cytogenetic findings, WGS and fusion transcript analyses confirmed very few additional mutations beyond the tRCC translocation. No recurrent genomic copy number gains/losses were found. RNA and WGS analyses enabled sub-classification of tRCC, closely aligning with the different TFE3 fusion partners. DNA methylation analyses demonstrated less tRCC sub-stratification compared with RNA analyses. Pathways activated in tRCC were involved in epithelial differentiation, extracellular matrix organization, apoptosis, immune regulation, signal transduction, and angiogenesis. Conclusions: Arrested epithelial differentiation is the overarching driver in tRCC and is strongly correlated with the specific subclasses of fusion transcript generated by the genetic translocation TFE fusion partner. Negative regulation of apoptosis, increased M2 macrophage expression, and enhanced angiogenesis also appear to be functional features of tRCCs, as are increased expression of matrix metalloproteinases, PI3K-AKT/mTOR/MAPK signaling, and mitochondrial metabolism, highlighting potential therapeutic options beyond direct targeting of the oncogenic driver fusions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urogenital Cancers: New Molecular and Translational Aspects on Carcinogenesis and Treatments (2nd Edition))
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Review

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17 pages, 1186 KB  
Review
Precision Medicine in Prostate Cancer with a Focus on Emerging Therapeutic Strategies
by Ryuta Watanabe, Noriyoshi Miura, Tadahiko Kikugawa and Takashi Saika
Biomedicines 2026, 14(1), 52; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines14010052 - 25 Dec 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2099
Abstract
Precision medicine has reshaped the clinical management of prostate cancer by integrating comprehensive genomic profiling, biomarker-driven patient stratification, and the development of molecularly targeted therapeutics. Advances in next-generation sequencing have uncovered diverse genomic alterations—including homologous recombination repair defects, MSI-H/MMRd, PTEN loss, BRCA1/BRCA2 mutations, [...] Read more.
Precision medicine has reshaped the clinical management of prostate cancer by integrating comprehensive genomic profiling, biomarker-driven patient stratification, and the development of molecularly targeted therapeutics. Advances in next-generation sequencing have uncovered diverse genomic alterations—including homologous recombination repair defects, MSI-H/MMRd, PTEN loss, BRCA1/BRCA2 mutations, ATM alterations, SPOP mutations, and molecular hallmarks of neuroendocrine differentiation—that now inform individualized treatment decisions. This review synthesizes established clinical evidence with emerging translational insights to provide an updated and forward-looking overview of precision oncology in prostate cancer. Landmark trials of PARP inhibitors and PSMA-targeted radioligand therapy have redefined treatment standards for biomarker-selected patients. Concurrently, efforts to optimize immune checkpoint inhibition, AKT pathway targeting, and rational combinations with androgen receptor pathway inhibitors continue to expand therapeutic possibilities. Rapidly evolving investigational strategies—including bipolar androgen therapy (BAT), immunotherapeutic approaches for CDK12-altered tumors, targeted interventions for SPOP-mutated cancers, and epigenetic modulation such as EZH2 inhibition for neuroendocrine prostate cancer—further illuminate mechanisms of tumor evolution, lineage plasticity, and treatment resistance. Integrating multi-omics technologies, liquid biopsy platforms, and AI-assisted imaging offers new opportunities for dynamic disease monitoring and biology-driven treatment selection. By consolidating current clinical practices with emerging experimental directions, this review provides clinicians and researchers with a comprehensive perspective on the evolving landscape of precision medicine in prostate cancer and highlights future opportunities to improve patient outcomes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urogenital Cancers: New Molecular and Translational Aspects on Carcinogenesis and Treatments (2nd Edition))
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Other

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27 pages, 651 KB  
Systematic Review
Seminal Fluid Biomarkers for Early Cancer Detection: A Systematic Review
by Guzel R. Sagitova, Anna V. Slizova, Andrey O. Morozov, Anastasia S. Fatyanova, Majid Ebrahimi Warkiani, Andrei V. Zvyagin and Alexey S. Rzhevskiy
Biomedicines 2026, 14(5), 966; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines14050966 - 23 Apr 2026
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Abstract
Background: The early detection of prostate and testicular tumors remains challenging as standard diagnostic tools often lack sensitivity and produce ambiguous results. Seminal fluid is a biologically rich medium that closely reflects the state of male reproductive tissues and has therefore emerged as [...] Read more.
Background: The early detection of prostate and testicular tumors remains challenging as standard diagnostic tools often lack sensitivity and produce ambiguous results. Seminal fluid is a biologically rich medium that closely reflects the state of male reproductive tissues and has therefore emerged as a promising source of non-invasive molecular biomarkers. Objective: This study aimed to critically evaluate the evidence regarding cell-free DNA, RNA, proteins and metabolites in seminal fluid, and to assess their potential for improving the early detection of male reproductive cancers. Methods: A systematic review was performed according to PRISMA guidelines. Comprehensive searches of the PubMed and Scopus databases were conducted to identify original clinical studies analyzing molecular biomarkers in seminal fluid from patients with prostate or testicular tumors. For each study, data were extracted on biomarker types, cohort characteristics, analytical methods and diagnostic performance. Results: Forty-two eligible studies were included, covering multiple biomarker classes. Most were observational, single-center investigations classified as level 3b evidence. Across the different types of biomarkers, seminal fluid was associated with tumor-associated molecular changes. Alterations in the concentration, fragmentation and methylation patterns of cell-free DNA (e.g., GSTP1, RARβ2, LGALS3 and OCT3/4) distinguished malignant from benign conditions with sensitivities of up to 80–100%. RNA-based markers, including microRNAs, small non-coding RNAs, and tRNA fragments, showed improved performance in several studies, with multimarker models achieving areas under the curve (AUCs) of 0.85–0.93. Proteomic analyses identified high-specificity candidates such as TGM4, AMACR, PROS1 and DKK3. Metabolomic profiling further strengthened the diagnostic potential; reduced seminal citrate outperformed prostate-specific antigen (AUC 0.748 vs. 0.548), and reproducible shifts in amino acid and lipid profiles were observed in testicular tumors. However, substantial heterogeneity in study design, patient selection, and analytical platforms was observed. Risk of bias varied, and large prospective validation cohorts were lacking. Conclusions: Current evidence suggests that seminal fluid contains molecular signals associated with tumors that could be used for diagnosis. However, the available data are predominantly exploratory and methodologically heterogeneous. Before seminal fluid-based biomarkers can be considered for routine clinical implementation, robust prospective studies with standardized protocols are required. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Urogenital Cancers: New Molecular and Translational Aspects on Carcinogenesis and Treatments (2nd Edition))
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