Tumor Microenvironment of Head and Neck Cancer
A special issue of Cancers (ISSN 2072-6694). This special issue belongs to the section "Tumor Microenvironment".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2022) | Viewed by 12775
Special Issue Editor
Interests: immunology; mechanisms of infectious and neoplastic disease; chemoprevention
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear colleagues,
Head and neck cancer poses a significant public health problem worldwide. It is a heterogenous disease, affecting various anatomic sites, with distinct etiologies, risk factors, and prognoses. Current research demonstrates that the head and neck cancer tumor microenvironment (TME) plays a major role in determining disease outcome and response to therapy. While there is much that has been learned on how tumor cells create an immunosuppressive TME, there are still many unknowns on the interactions between the components of the TME and how they can inform prognoses and treatment strategies in head and neck cancer.
The TME comprises cellular (stromal cells, immune cells, fibroblasts, cancer stem cells) and non-cellular (cytokines, growth factors, angiogenic factors, extracellular matrix) components. Immune cells in the head and neck cancer TME that affect tumor growth and metastasis include cells of myeloid origin such as myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), dendritic cells, and cells of lymphoid origin such as regulatory T cells (Tregs), cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs), and natural killer (NK) cells. MDSCs, TAMs, and Tregs promote immunosuppression and tumor immune escape. These cells also interact with non-immune cells and noncellular components of the TME to create a dynamic environment that ultimately determines head and neck cancer outcomes and treatment responses.
Immunotherapeutic drugs which target immune cells in the TME are used in routine head and neck cancer treatment, but despite their success, only a few patients respond to them. This Special Issue will highlight the complex interactions of cells in the TME of head and neck cancer, identify novel approaches to head and neck cancer prevention and treatment, and provide insights on strategies to improve patient responses by modifying the head and neck cancer TME.
Dr. Steve Oghumu
Guest Editor
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 communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
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. Cancers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2900 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.
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.