What is this collection about?  

Lung cancer remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality worldwide, underscoring the urgent need for enhanced understanding and advances in research. Despite significant progress over the past two decades, such as the development of targeted therapies and improved diagnostic techniques, clinical and biological challenges remain.

We invite researchers to contribute to this important Collection on lung cancer by submitting Original Research, or Reviews and Perspectives. Topics of interest include but are not limited to:

• ​Novel treatment modalities
• Advances in diagnostic imaging and tools
• Liquid biopsy technologies
• Genetic profiling in lung cancer
• Predictive models for stratification and treatment response 
• Immunotherapy

This Collection aims to deepen our collective understanding of lung cancer and support progress towards improved patient outcomes and quality of life.

All submissions will be subject to the same review process and editorial standards as regular submissions at the participating journal. 

Why is this collection important?  

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide, despite substantial advances in screening, diagnosis, and treatment. Challenges such as late-stage diagnosis, tumor heterogeneity, treatment resistance, and disease recurrence continue to limit patient outcomes, highlighting the need for continued research across the spectrum of lung cancer biology and clinical care.

Advances in genomics, liquid biopsy technologies, immunotherapy, and precision medicine are transforming how lung cancer is detected and treated. This Collection aims to showcase these developments, foster collaboration across disciplines, and support research that will lead to earlier diagnosis, more effective therapies, and improved outcomes for patients with lung cancer.

Comments from Guest Editor

"Building on the established pillars of lung cancer research—from causal oncogenes to immunotherapy—I see the next wave of progress emerging at the intersection of functional genetics, tumor ecosystem biology, and longitudinal disease tracking. We need to move beyond static molecular portraits to understand how cancers adapt, interact with their microenvironment, and rewire themselves across the patient journey. This Collection invites integrative work that combines mechanistic screening with clinical translation, generating insights that are not just descriptive but actionable."

Why submit to a collection?  

Collections like this one help promote high-quality science. They are led by Guest Editors and In-House Editors who are experts in their fields and supported by a dedicated team of Commissioning Editors and Managing Editors at Springer Nature. Collection manuscripts typically see higher citations, downloads, and Altmetric scores, and provide a one-stop-shop on a cutting-edge topic of interest.  

Guest Editor:

Yulei Zhao, PhD, Fudan University, China
Yulei is a Principal Investigator at Fudan University, where she leads a research program dedicated to uncovering the mechanisms of cancer drug resistance and identifying novel therapeutic targets. Her career is distinguished by extensive international collaboration, including pivotal research on KRAS inhibitors as a Research Scholar at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in the United States, following her Ph.D. training in Canada. This global trajectory is reflected in her high-impact publications and her success in securing competitive funding from both the United States (Revson Fellowship) and China (NSFC). Her research focuses on cancer therapy, cancer drug resistance, tumor-ecosystem, functional genetic screening, and non-cell autonomous regulation, with a particular emphasis on lung cancer and KRAS-mutant malignancies.

How can I submit my paper?  

Visit the Collection page to find out more about this collection and submit your article.