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Targeting Cancer with Epi-Drugs: A Precision Medicine Perspective

Lisa Gherardini, Ankush Sharma, Enrico Capobianco1

  • 1Center for Computational Science (CCS), University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA. ecapobianco@med.miami.edu.

Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology
|May 28, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Coupling DNA methylation and transcriptome data reveals tumor subgroups. These epigenetic changes are key to developing novel epidrugs for personalized cancer therapies.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Epigenetics
  • Genomics

Background:

  • Pan-cancer studies highlight the significance of integrating DNA methylation and transcriptome profiles.
  • Tumor subgroups with distinct clinical characteristics can be identified through coupled epigenetic and gene expression analyses.
  • Associations between epigenetic alterations and cancer histotypes are crucial for developing novel therapeutic strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To survey recent findings in cancer epigenetics concerning targeted drugs and therapeutic strategies.
  • To focus on epigenetic modifications that can revert adult cells from a differentiated to a neoplastic state.
  • To explore the potential for patient-specific personalized therapies based on epigenetic insights.

Main Methods:

  • Review of recent pan-cancer studies and epigenetic research.
  • Analysis of associations between DNA methylation patterns and transcriptome profiles.
  • Focus on epigenetic modifications driving cancer development and their therapeutic targeting.

Main Results:

  • Emerging evidence suggests that epigenetic changes are linked to specific cancer types.
  • Novel epidrugs targeting enzymes regulating gene expression are being developed.
  • Epigenetic modifications can reverse cellular differentiation, contributing to neoplastic phenotypes.

Conclusions:

  • Integrating epigenetic and transcriptomic data is vital for identifying clinically relevant tumor subgroups.
  • Targeting epigenetic alterations holds promise for developing novel epidrugs and personalized cancer treatments.
  • Understanding epigenetic reprogramming in cancer may lead to customized therapeutic strategies for patients.

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