MedComm - Oncology announcement

Abstract

About 400 B.C., the ancient Greek physician Hippocrates used karkinos, Greek for cancer, to denote certain types of malignant tumors that thrust out the invasive “talons” into the surrounding tissues. Cancer has been present throughout the ages. According to the latest World Health Statistics of the World Health Organization, cancer has become the second leading cause of human death, which is responsible for about 16% of deaths globally, affecting people of all ages and from all regions of the world.

It is the best time for oncology. With the advances in molecular biology and modern medicine, especially the launch of the Human Genome Project, cancer research has entered a new era since the end of the last century. By profiling the genetic fingerprint and molecular makeup, similar hallmarks including sustaining proliferative signaling, activating metastasis, and avoiding immune destruction are defined among distinct cancer subtypes. Moreover, the concepts of cancer heterogeneity, epigenetic regulation, posttranslational modification, and tumor microenvironment, have expanded the scientific scope of oncology. Driven by translational medicine and bioengineering, diverse precise diagnostics and therapeutics have been developed to improve cancer management, such as the artificial intelligence-assisted computed tomography for lung cancer diagnosis, the liquid biopsy for the detection of circulating tumor cell and circulating tumor DNA, human papillomavirus vaccines against cervical cancer, and the immune checkpoint inhibitor PD-1/PD-L1 monoclonal antibodies for the treatment of multiple cancers.

It is the worst time for oncology. The emergence of the many cutting-edge techniques including multi-omics, high-resolution imaging, single-cell methodologies, and so forth, has characterized many new biomolecules (e.g., noncoding RNAs and small-molecule metabolites) as tumor drivers, making the molecular regulatory network of cancer cells unprecedentedly sophisticated. Cancer is also appreciated as a dynamic disease. The molecular signature, phenotype, and lethality of cancers are variable with disease typing, clinical stage, and therapy. Thus, it is challenging for researchers to clarify the pivotal oncogenic mechanism from massive bioinformatic and experimental evidence, or to develop effective methodologies for diagnosis and treatment. It requires collaboration across multi-disciplines, integration of theory and techniques, and the ambition of patients, clinicians, and scientists to defeat cancer.

Governments and foundations worldwide are providing increasing financial supports to oncology research. Unquestionably, critical discoveries in this field will be achieved in the near future. Nevertheless, the limited influential journals in oncology cannot guarantee the timely publication of these achievements. To this end, MedComm - Oncology is launched to meet the demand.

MedComm - Oncology is a peer-reviewed and open-access journal that publishes the high-impact clinical, basic, and translational advances in all aspects of oncology, such as oncogenic mechanism, early screening/prevention, precise diagnosis, and targeted therapy. As a multidisciplinary journal, MedComm - Oncology covers different fields including clinical medicine, genetics, bioinformatics, molecular biology, cell biology, biological chemistry, pharmacology, medicinal chemistry, pharmacy, and so forth. Areas of interest contain but are not limited to cancer metabolism, noncoding RNA, cancer stem cell, signal transduction, tumor microenvironment and immunology, early diagnosis and biomarkers, drug discovery, gene therapy, cell therapy, immunotherapy, and artificial intelligence. Works from all human cancers, such as lung cancer, liver cancer, colorectal cancer, gastric cancer, glioblastoma, leukemia, and melanoma, are within the scope of MedComm - Oncology.

We aim to establish a forum for oncology research. The authors could submit their pioneer works and viewpoints on the frontiers of oncology through different categories of manuscripts including original articles, cutting-edge reviews, and letter-to-editor. In addition, MedComm - Oncology will aperiodically provide editorials, highlights, or comments on the latest research progress in oncology.

The Editorial team of MedComm - Oncology consists of high-impact scientists and clinicians worldwide. We welcome your submission and promise an efficient review process followed by fair and prompt decisions. Once a manuscript is accepted, our editorial staff will provide high-quality support to ensure your article is published at its best. MedComm - Oncology gives a platform for students, scientists, and clinicians interested in oncology to share their discoveries and viewpoints in this field. We are committed to operating MedComm - Oncology effectively, aiming to provide valuable and helpful information to you and the community.