Cancer Cell Signaling, Autophagy and Tumorigenesis
A special issue of Cells (ISSN 2073-4409).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 September 2025 | Viewed by 38
Special Issue Editor
Interests: tumor angiogenesis; cancer epigenetics; cell signaling; brain tumors; medulloblastoma; gaba signaling; ion channels
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Cancer is a complex disease driven by dysregulated cellular signaling and adaptive mechanisms that enable tumor growth, metastasis, and resistance to therapy. Cancer cells exploit various signaling pathways for proliferation (tumorigenesis), survival, and metastasis. This Special Issue will highlight the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, which promotes cell survival and growth by inhibiting apoptosis and regulating metabolism, and the Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK (MAPK) pathway, which drives proliferation and differentiation and is a common subject for mutation in cancers.
Among various other mechanisms, autophagy plays a particularly intricate role in tumorigenesis and metastasis. Once considered solely a survival mechanism in response to metabolic stress, autophagy is now recognized as a dynamic process with both tumor-suppressive and tumor-promoting functions, depending on cancer type, stage, and microenvironmental context. Autophagy shows tumor-suppressive role in the early stage of cancer and prevents the accumulation of damaged organelles and genomic instability. It also limits oncogenic transformation by clearing toxic aggregates. The tumor-promoting role of autophagy is represented by the induction of therapeutic resistance, as it enhances cancer cell survival under stress conditions for, e.g., hypoxia, nutrient deprivation, chemotherapeutics, and radiation. This helps cancer cells evade therapy-induced stress, leading to resistance and facilitating metastasis by promoting cellular plasticity. This Special Issue explores the intricate crosstalk between autophagy and cancer cell signaling, highlighting its impact on tumorigenesis, therapeutic resistance, and potential therapeutic interventions.
Dr. Debanjan Bhattacharya
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- cancer cell signaling
- autophagy
- tumorigenesis
- PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway
- Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK (MAPK) pathway
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