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Epigenetic contributions to cancer metastasis

David I Rodenhiser1

  • 1Departments of Biochemistry, Oncology and Paediatrics, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada. drodenhi@uwo.ca

Clinical & Experimental Metastasis
|April 4, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Epigenetic alterations, including DNA methylation changes, drive cancer metastasis by enabling cell spread and survival. New epigenetic biomarkers offer potential for diagnosing metastasis and developing targeted cancer therapies.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular oncology
  • Cancer epigenetics
  • Metastasis research

Background:

  • Cancer involves genetic and epigenetic alterations, notably DNA methylation changes.
  • Epigenetic modifications, such as DNA hypomethylation and gene promoter hypermethylation, impact gene expression.
  • These epigenetic changes are increasingly recognized for their role in cancer cell dissemination and survival at secondary sites.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the literature on the role of epigenetic alterations in cancer metastasis.
  • To discuss the functional significance of epigenetic phenomena in the metastatic process.
  • To explore the potential of epigenetic biomarkers for metastasis diagnosis and therapy development.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of epigenetic contributions to cancer metastasis.
  • Analysis of functional roles of epigenetic changes in cancer progression.
  • Examination of emerging epigenetic biomarkers for diagnostic and therapeutic applications.

Main Results:

  • Epigenetic changes, including DNA methylation patterns, are crucial for cancer cells to metastasize.
  • Acquired "epi-genotypes" facilitate tumor cell dissemination and survival in secondary tissues.
  • Epigenetic alterations can be cancer-type specific or involve common target genes conferring a selective advantage.

Conclusions:

  • Epigenetic modifications are fundamental to cancer metastasis.
  • Epigenetic biomarkers hold promise for identifying metastatic signatures.
  • Targeting epigenetic mechanisms may lead to novel cancer treatment strategies.

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