Abstract C26: Epigenetics and pancreatic cancer: The role of nutrigenomics in cancer health disparities

Abstract

Abstract In vivo, in vitro and epidemiological studies have shown that an individual's diet may contribute to their susceptibility to develop cancer. Pancreatic cancer remains a very complex and challenging disease that is increasing in African Americans. This cancer carries one of the worst prognosis of any major malignancy, mainly due to its lack of early detection and lack of effective therapeutic agents. Although improvements in imaging technology has aided in diagnosis and identification of patients with the disease, these new technologies have not greatly improved the mortality rate of pancreatic cancer. Evidence has shown that epigenetic mechanisms play an important role early in this cancer and furthermore, epigenetic modifications can be altered by external or internal environmental factors, such as components found in diets, and have the potential to also be reversed. We and others have shown that dietary agents found in cruciferous vegetables, such as indole-3-carbinol, have tremendous anti-cancer effects and can modulate key signals in pancreatic cancer through various mechanisms, such as inactivation of STAT3, reactivation of p16, the ability to up-regulate critical drug transporters such as hENT, to increase drug efficacy and recently modulate Wnt signaling pathways. All of these targets are potentially significant in developing chemopreventive strategies for reducing cancer health disparities among higher risk populations. Results will be shown where indole-3-carbinol has demonstrated effects on all of these targets in pancreatic cancer. Educational strategies are needed to increase knowledge of the importance of proper diet to vulnerable populations. Citation Format: Beverly Lyn-Cook, Beverly Word, Stancy Joseph, Goorge Hammons. Epigenetics and pancreatic cancer: The role of nutrigenomics in cancer health disparities. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Eighth AACR Conference on The Science of Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; Nov 13-16, 2015; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2016;25(3 Suppl):Abstract nr C26.