Volume 8, Number 4, 242-249, DOI: 10.1007/BF02664934

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New therapeutic targets in cancer: the epigenetic connection

Michel Herranz and Manel Esteller

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Abstract

Cancer is an epigenetic disease, a combination of DNA modifications, chromatin organization and variations in its associated proteins, configure a new entity that regulates gene function throughout methylation, acetylation and chromatin remodelling. Irregularde novo DNA methylation, mainly promoter hypermethylation, histone deacetylation or methylation are important means for the transcriptional repression of cancer-associated genes. Reverse these epigenetic processes restoring normal expression of malignancy-preventing-genes has consequently become a new therapeutic target in cancer treatment. Aberrant patterns of epigenetic modifications will be, in a near future, crucial parameters in cancer diagnosis, prognosis and therapy.

Key words  cancer epigenetics - histone modifications - DNA methylation - prognosis - therapy

Supported by an unrestricted educational grant from Pfizer.

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