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05:39
Spontaneous Murine Model of Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer
Published on: February 3, 2023
Epigenetics modifications and therapeutic prospects in human thyroid cancer
Maria Graziella Catalano1, Nicoletta Fortunati, Giuseppe Boccuzzi
1Department of Clinical Pathophysiology, University of Turin Torino, Italy.
Frontiers in Endocrinology
|June 1, 2012
Summary
Epigenetic alterations are common in advanced thyroid cancer. Epigenetic therapies, targeting chromatin, show promise for restoring normal cell functions and treating resistant thyroid cancers.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Advanced thyroid cancer lacks effective treatments, including poorly differentiated, anaplastic, and radioiodine-refractory metastatic or recurrent differentiated types.
- Biologically targeted therapies based on oncogenic mutations show limited efficacy, primarily stabilizing disease rather than achieving complete responses.
- Epigenetic modifications, changes in gene expression without DNA sequence alteration, are crucial in cancer development and progression.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review frequent epigenetic alterations in thyroid cancer.
- To focus on epigenetic therapy strategies for advanced thyroid carcinomas.
- To discuss experimental data and clinical trials of epigenetic agents.
Main Methods:
- Review of literature on epigenetic alterations in thyroid cancer.
- Analysis of studies investigating epigenetic therapy, including deacetylase inhibitors and demethylating agents.
- Examination of clinical trial data for epigenetic interventions.
Main Results:
- Aberrant methylation is observed in key genes controlling cell proliferation, invasion, and thyroid differentiation.
- Epigenetic abnormalities, alongside genetic changes, contribute to tumor progression in thyroid cancer.
- Clinical trials with epigenetic therapies demonstrate potential but have not yet achieved complete responses.
Conclusions:
- Epigenetic alterations are significant in thyroid cancer pathogenesis.
- Epigenetic therapy offers a potential strategy to target cancer cells by modifying chromatin.
- Further research and clinical trials are needed to optimize epigenetic therapies for advanced thyroid cancer.
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