Advanced Molecular Targets in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Cancers, volume III

This Research Topic is the third volume of the “Advanced Molecular Targets in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Cancers” Community Series. Please see Volume I here and Volume II here.Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers—including colorectal, gastric, pancreatic, hepatobiliary, and esophageal malignancies—remain a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Despite advances in systemic therapy, late diagnosis, tumor heterogeneity, and therapeutic resistance continue to limit long-term survival. Rapid developments in molecular profiling, bioinformatics, and translational models are now redefining how GI cancers are detected, stratified, and treated. This Research Topic aims to capture the most recent and innovative advances in molecularly driven diagnosis and therapy, bridging fundamental biology with clinical applications.We invite contributions that explore advanced molecular targets across the full disease spectrum, from early detection and minimal residual disease monitoring to personalized treatment and resistance mechanisms. Particular emphasis is placed on integrative multi-omics approaches—including genomics, epigenomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and glycomics—combined with bioinformatics and artificial intelligence to identify actionable biomarkers and predictive models for patient management. Studies employing liquid biopsy, single-cell and spatial technologies, organoids, and patient-derived models are especially welcome when they provide mechanistic insights or clinical relevance.Importantly, this Topic also highlights oncological nutrition and cancer metabolism as biologically active determinants of tumor progression and therapeutic response. We encourage research addressing diet–microbiome–tumor interactions, metabolic vulnerabilities, inflammation, sarcopenia/cachexia, and nutrition-informed strategies that may enhance treatment efficacy, reduce toxicity, or improve patient stratification. Nutrition is considered here not only as supportive care, but also as a modulator of molecular and immune pathways relevant to precision oncology.This Research Topic welcomes Original Research, Reviews, and Translational Studies that integrate molecular biology, bioinformatics, and nutrition/metabolism to advance precision diagnostics and targeted therapies in gastrointestinal cancers, ultimately facilitating the translation of cutting-edge discoveries into clinical practice.● Molecularly driven diagnosis and therapy in GI cancers● Early detection and minimal residual disease monitoring● Personalized treatment and resistance mechanisms● Integrative multi-omics approaches (genomics, epigenomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, glycomics)● Bioinformatics and artificial intelligence for actionable biomarkers and predictive models● Liquid biopsy applications in patient management● Single-cell and spatial technologies with mechanistic insight or clinical relevance● Organoids and patient-derived models for translational research● Oncological nutrition and cancer metabolism in tumor progression and therapeutic response● Diet–microbiome–tumor interactions● Metabolic vulnerabilities, inflammation, sarcopenia/cachexia● Nutrition-informed strategies to enhance efficacy, reduce toxicity, or improve stratificationPlease note: Manuscripts consisting solely of bioinformatics, computational analysis, or predictions of public databases which are not accompanied by validation (independent clinical or patient cohort, or biological validation in vitro or in vivo, which are not based on public databases) are not suitable for publication in this journal.Dr. Hirofumi Rokutan receives consulting fees from Sawai Pharmaceutical Co., LTD. Topic editors: Zsolt Kovács, Cornelia Braicu, Reed Ayabe, Dana Cucu, Mingzhou Guo, Hirofumi Rokutan Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/77864/advanced-molecular-targets-in-the-diagnosis-and-treatment-of-gastrointestinal-cancers-volume-iii