About this Research Topic
Human cancers arise due to the accumulation of genetic and epigenetic alterations that ultimately promote malignant transformation. Epigenetic changes occur in early carcinogenesis with cell-type specific patterns that hold promise to be useful as cancer biomarkers.
The epigenome encompasses a compendium of heritable but potentially reversible modifications that collectively regulate gene expression and drive development and cellular differentiation. Epigenetic regulation of gene expression is mediated through several different mechanisms, encompassing chromatin conformation, nucleosome remodeling, histone modifications, transcription factor binding, methylation of DNA and RNA, and different species of short and long non-coding RNA molecules.
Past or cumulative exposures are reflected in specific epigenetic footprints formed in response to endogenous and exogenous features including hormonal, inflammatory, nutritional, environmental, lifestyle, and microbial factors.
Research into the epigenetic epidemiology of cancer and the potential application of epigenetic biomarkers in oncology has been spurred by recent advances in epigenomic methods for the detection of various types of modifications with unprecedented resolution and uses of alternative tissue sources such as liquid biopsies.
The aim of this Research Topic is to explore the recent advances in the development and application of epigenetic biomarkers in cancer management. Authors are welcome to submit all types of articles (original research, methods, opinions, perspectives, and reviews) discussing evidence from retrospective and prospective studies demonstrating the utility of epigenetic biomarkers for risk stratification and cancer patient management. The topics may include but are not limited to:
- Epigenetic determinants of increased risk for cancer development or recurrence, exposure to environmental or lifestyle factors associated with cancer susceptibility, including “epigenetic clocks” and machine and deep learning methods for risk stratification.
- Epigenetic biomarkers for early detection, molecular classification, prediction of therapy response, therapy response monitoring, and detection of residual disease or recurrence.
- Different sources of malignant or surrogate tissue, including liquid biopsies cell-free circulating DNA.
- Technologies and methods for locus-specific or genome-wide detection of epigenetic biomarkers.
The epigenome encompasses a compendium of heritable but potentially reversible modifications that collectively regulate gene expression and drive development and cellular differentiation. Epigenetic regulation of gene expression is mediated through several different mechanisms, encompassing chromatin conformation, nucleosome remodeling, histone modifications, transcription factor binding, methylation of DNA and RNA, and different species of short and long non-coding RNA molecules.
Past or cumulative exposures are reflected in specific epigenetic footprints formed in response to endogenous and exogenous features including hormonal, inflammatory, nutritional, environmental, lifestyle, and microbial factors.
Research into the epigenetic epidemiology of cancer and the potential application of epigenetic biomarkers in oncology has been spurred by recent advances in epigenomic methods for the detection of various types of modifications with unprecedented resolution and uses of alternative tissue sources such as liquid biopsies.
The aim of this Research Topic is to explore the recent advances in the development and application of epigenetic biomarkers in cancer management. Authors are welcome to submit all types of articles (original research, methods, opinions, perspectives, and reviews) discussing evidence from retrospective and prospective studies demonstrating the utility of epigenetic biomarkers for risk stratification and cancer patient management. The topics may include but are not limited to:
- Epigenetic determinants of increased risk for cancer development or recurrence, exposure to environmental or lifestyle factors associated with cancer susceptibility, including “epigenetic clocks” and machine and deep learning methods for risk stratification.
- Epigenetic biomarkers for early detection, molecular classification, prediction of therapy response, therapy response monitoring, and detection of residual disease or recurrence.
- Different sources of malignant or surrogate tissue, including liquid biopsies cell-free circulating DNA.
- Technologies and methods for locus-specific or genome-wide detection of epigenetic biomarkers.
Keywords: Epigenetics, epidemiology, cancer, biomarkers, DNA methylation, histone modifications, non-coding RNA
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