Emerging Chemical Compounds and Natural Modulators for Cancer Treatment: Synthesis, Biological Activity, and Mechanisms of Action

Cancer remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, creating a continuing need for new and more effective therapeutic strategies. Despite advances in targeted therapy and immunotherapy, tumor heterogeneity, treatment resistance, adverse effects, and limited responses in advanced disease remain important challenges. Novel synthetic compounds and naturally occurring bioactive molecules represent valuable sources of potential anticancer agents. Advances in synthetic and medicinal chemistry, natural-product research, and molecular pharmacology have enabled the identification and optimization of compounds with diverse biological activities. Understanding their structure-activity relationships, molecular targets, pharmacological properties, and mechanisms of action is essential for further development. Integrating chemical synthesis with biological and computational approaches may facilitate the discovery of promising candidates and new therapeutic strategies.

This Special Issue welcomes contributions on emerging synthetic compounds and natural modulators with potential applications in cancer prevention and treatment. Particular emphasis will be placed on studies linking chemical structure and molecular design with biological activity and mechanism of action.
Potential areas of interest may include, but are not limited to:
· Novel synthetic compounds, molecular scaffolds, derivatives, and structure-activity relationships
· Natural products and bioactive phytochemicals with anticancer or chemopreventive activity
· Mechanisms of action involving regulated cell death, DNA damage response, oxidative stress, and cell-cycle control
· In vitro, in vivo, translational, and computational studies of efficacy, selectivity, toxicity, and therapeutic potential
· Novel formulations, drug combinations, synergistic interactions, and strategies to overcome therapy resistance

Authors are welcome to submit articles presenting original studies or literature review work. Please consult the journal's information regarding Article Types, Author Guidelines, and Publishing Fees, or direct any questions to the Editorial Office: abp@frontierspartnerships.org.

Even though abstract submission is not mandatory, we encourage all interested researchers to submit a “manuscript summary” before submitting their article. Manuscript summaries do not have to coincide with the final abstract of the article.

Article types and fees

This Special Issue accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Special Issue description:

• Brief Research Report
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Systematic Review

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Special Issue accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Special Issue description:

• Brief Research Report
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Systematic Review

Keywords: Cancer therapy, Chemical compounds, Natural products, Biological activity, Mechanisms of action