The Epigenomics of Cancer
Abstract
Aberrant gene function and altered patterns of gene expression are key features of cancer. Growing evidence shows that acquired epigenetic abnormalities participate with genetic alterations to cause this dysregulation. Here, we review recent advances in understanding how epigenetic alterations participate in the earliest stages of neoplasia, including stem/precursor cell contributions, and discuss the growing implications of these advances for strategies to control cancer.
For decades, scientists have been engaged in dissecting the origins of human cancer, and the relative roles of genetic versus epigenetic abnormalities have been hotly debated. An explosion of data indicating the importance of epigenetic processes, especially those resulting in the silencing of key regulatory genes, has led to the realization that genetics and epigenetics cooperate at all stages of cancer development. Recent advances include the understanding that silencing is part of global epigenomic alterations in cancer, that pathways relevant to stem cell growth and differentiation become altered, and the approval of three drugs that target these defects in cancer patients.