Neoadjuvant and adjuvant therapies play crucial roles in the management of gynecologic malignancies, including ovarian, cervical, and endometrial cancers. These treatment strategies aim to improve surgical outcomes by either reducing tumor size before surgery (neoadjuvant) or eliminating residual disease postoperatively (adjuvant). Recent advancements in understanding tumor biology, patient selection, and the integration of novel therapies have reshaped the landscape of gynecologic oncology, making it essential to explore the various modalities, including chemotherapy and radiation therapy, that can enhance treatment efficacy and patient survival.

The ongoing research in this field is vital, as it contributes to improving treatment protocols and patient quality of life. Recent breakthroughs have highlighted the significance of personalized treatment approaches, such as targeted therapies and immunotherapies, which have shown promising results in clinical trials. By exploring the optimal sequencing of neoadjuvant and adjuvant therapies, researchers can provide insights into downstaging tumors, minimizing toxicity, and maximizing the overall effectiveness of treatments, leading to better patient outcomes.

Continued exploration and innovation in neoadjuvant and adjuvant therapies hold the potential to transform the management of gynecologic malignancies. Future research may focus on refining treatment regimens, identifying biomarkers for response, and integrating multidisciplinary approaches to optimize surgical and therapeutic outcomes. As we deepen our understanding of tumor heterogeneity and resistance mechanisms, new therapeutic strategies may emerge, offering hope for improved prognosis in patients with these challenging cancers.

• Efficacy of neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy
• Role of radiation therapy in treatment protocols
• Impact of neoadjuvant vs. adjuvant approaches on fertility and quality of life
• Strategies for downstaging tumors
• Integration of novel therapies in surgical planning
• Resistance mechanisms and strategies for overcoming them
• Role of molecular profiling in guiding therapy
• Clinical trials landscape and future directions

All manuscripts submitted to this journal, including those submitted to collections and special issues, are assessed in line with our editorial policies and the journal’s peer review process. Reviewers and editors are required to declare competing interests and can be excluded from the peer review process if a competing interest exists.

In recent years, non-communicable diseases, including cancer, have shown a disproportionate increase in incidence and related mortality in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). By 2030, approximately three-quarters of all cancer deaths will occur in LMICs, with one in eight people experiencing a cancer diagnosis in their lifetime. Reasons for disparate trends include better risk factor control in high-income countries (lower infection-associated cancers, anti-smoking campaigns, and other preventive measures), educational resources, increased number of screening and surveillance programs with earlier detection of disease, and access to more effective cancer therapies. In contrast, many LMICs experience rising cancer incidence rates due to demographic transitions marked by aging population structures and a shift in prevalent risk factors (e.g., increasing tobacco use, alcohol consumption, unhealthy diets, physical inactivity). The underlying factors are complex and interrelated, contextualized to each country's setting, and merit further study.

In 2015, the United National General Assembly adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), built on the principle of “leaving no one behind.” The goals highlighted the importance of fighting inequalities across the world, and specifically, two goals, SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being and SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities, have the ambitious aim of reducing disparities within and among countries and ensuring healthy lives for all at all ages. In addition, the 2020 WHO report on cancer clearly states that cancer control is an integral component of the path toward universal health coverage and achieving SDGs. By investing wisely and equitably, cancer cases and deaths can be avoided, and premature mortality can be reduced by 2030.

Hence, to combat the high mortality of preventable and treatable cancer in LMICs, urgent efforts are needed to improve cancer control programs and educate the public to bridge knowledge gaps, address misconceptions, and debunk myths. In addition, several gaps in the research enterprise of LMICs, such as the scarcity of reliable data, a lack of clinical trials, as well as the lack of infrastructure and trained human resources, must be addressed to solve local and regional problems with acceptable, feasible, effective, and implementable solutions.

In recognition of this relevant field, we encourage submissions including but not limited to those addressing:

• Patient navigation in cancer care and its role in cancer control in LMICs

• Training of the workforce caring for patients with cancer in LMICs

• Decentralization of cancer care in LMICs

• Technology, infrastructures, and the need for implementation in cancer care in LMICs

• The role of AI and digital health in cancer care in LMICs

• Financial burden of cancer care on patients and their families

• The role of cancer registries in strengthening cancer control in LMICs

• Defining optimal cancer treatment approaches in LMICs using local evidence

• Clinical trials and cancer in LMICs

• Anticipation medicine and cancer in LMICs

• Trends in cancer research in LMICs

• National cancer control plans and their utility in LMICs and barriers to implementation

• Twinning and partnership in cancer care in LMICs

All manuscripts submitted to this journal, including those submitted to collections and special issues, are assessed in line with our editorial policies and the journal’s peer-review process. Reviewers and editors are required to declare competing interests and can be excluded from the peer review process if a competing interest exists.

This Collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being and SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities.