Ion Channels as Pharmacological Targets in Cancer

A special issue of Pharmaceuticals (ISSN 1424-8247). This special issue belongs to the section "Pharmacology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 October 2025 | Viewed by 685

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Section of Pharmacology, Department of Precision and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy
Interests: pharmacology; ion channels; acquired channelopathies (cancer); pancreatic cancer; rare diseases; genetic channelopathies; non-dystrophic myotonias; drug repurposing; precision medicine
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Section of Pharmacology, Department of Precision and Regenerative Medicine and Jonian Area, School of Medicine, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70124 Bari, Italy
Interests: pharmacology; ion channels; cancer; multiple myeloma; pancreatic cancer; tumor microenvironment; non-dystrophic myotonias; drug repurposing; precision medicine
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy
Interests: colon cancer; TRP channels; tumor microenvironment; gastrointestinal diseases; inflammation; colitis-associated cancer
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for nearly 10 million deaths in 2020. Despite the significant advances in the identification and targeting of new molecular drivers of cancer, some of these targets have eluded drug treatments thus far.

In this scenario, the targeting of ion channels has emerged as a promising novel approach in cancer treatment. Indeed, the altered expression and/or function of these proteins have been associated with tumor aggressiveness and increased proliferation, migration, invasion and metastasis of cancer cells. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that ion channels are also involved in the control or sensing of the tumor microenvironment, in the development of chemoresistance and in the modulation of intracellular signaling.

This evidence makes ion channels promising targets for fighting cancer through the identification of new pharmacological agents, drug repositioning and feasibly the use of target therapies, including monoclonal antibodies.

The aim of this Special Issue is to publish original papers and reviews dealing with the role of ion channels in cancer progression, therapy and chemoresistance.

Dr. Concetta Altamura
Dr. Ilaria Saltarella
Dr. Ester Pagano
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • ion channels
  • cancer
  • cancer pharmacology
  • target therapies
  • personalized therapy
  • chemoresistance
  • oncology
  • channelopathies

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

36 pages, 774 KB  
Review
Targeting Ion Channels for Cancer Therapy: From Pathophysiological Mechanisms to Clinical Translation
by Sha Zhou, Xiong Song, Weian Zeng and Dongtai Chen
Pharmaceuticals 2025, 18(10), 1521; https://doi.org/10.3390/ph18101521 - 10 Oct 2025
Viewed by 108
Abstract
Cancer remains a major global health burden, representing one of the leading causes of mortality among noncommunicable diseases worldwide. Although conventional treatment modalities, including surgical resection, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapeutic interventions, have demonstrated clinical benefits, their therapeutic efficacy is often constrained [...] Read more.
Cancer remains a major global health burden, representing one of the leading causes of mortality among noncommunicable diseases worldwide. Although conventional treatment modalities, including surgical resection, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapeutic interventions, have demonstrated clinical benefits, their therapeutic efficacy is often constrained by inherent limitations such as low specificity, systemic toxicity, or tumor heterogeneity. These challenges underscore the imperative for developing innovative treatment strategies. Emerging evidence has implicated ion channels as critical players in oncogenesis and cancer progression. These proteins modulate diverse oncogenic phenotypes, including uncontrolled proliferation, metastatic dissemination, and apoptotic resistance. Their frequent dysregulation in malignancies correlates with disease aggressiveness and clinical outcomes, positioning them as promising targets for precision oncology. Notably, pharmacological modulation of ion channels exerts multifaceted antitumor effects, with several channel-targeting agents advancing through clinical trials. This review explores recent advances in ion channel-targeted therapies, emphasizing their mechanisms, clinical applications, and challenges. Furthermore, we examine the pathophysiological contributions of ion channels to tumor biology and evaluate their emerging utility as predictive biomarkers, providing perspectives on addressing critical gaps in current oncologic management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ion Channels as Pharmacological Targets in Cancer)
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