Dear Colleagues,

Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) is a critical transcription factor that regulates cellular antioxidant systems in response to oxidative stress. Interestingly, in recent years, accumulating evidence has suggested that Nrf2 may play a dual role in cancer, either in cancer prevention or cancer progression. Thus, aberrant activation of Nrf2 is associated with a poor prognosis; the constitutive activation of Nrf2 in various cancers induces pro‐survival genes and promotes cancer cell proliferation. More importantly, Nrf2 contributes to the chemo- and radioresistance of cancer cells as well as inflammation‐induced carcinogenesis. Notably, NRF2 plays a central role in cancer progression, not only because of its antioxidant activity but also because it establishes cross-talk with several oncogenic pathways including heat shock factor 1, mammalian target of rapamycin, and mutant p53. For these reasons, Nrf2 has emerged as a possible anticancer therapeutic target.

This special issue will include reviews and research articles on the topic, “NRF2 and cancer.” It will gather the latest knowledge on the molecular mechanisms of NRF2 activation in cancer and the development of NRF2 inhibitors to be used to improve chemo- and radiotherapy in cancer treatment.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gabriella D’Orazi
Guest Editor