Epigenetic alterations in female urogenital organs cancer: Premise, properties, and perspectives

Abstract

Cancer is a sickness, initiated and driven via accumulation and interaction of genetic and epigenetic modification of genes involved in regulation of cell communication, signaling and growth division. Epigenetics is known as heritable changes in the expression of genes which are different from mutations that are not attributable to modification of DNA sequence. There are two leading epigenetic mechanisms; histone modification and DNA methylation. The acts of epigenetics in controlling of gene expression have been considered as elementary process in the pathogenesis of a variety of malignancies, for instance reproductive organs cancers. Recently, numerous exciting discoveries in epigenetics field have been focused in the study of reproductive cancers organs in females. Epigenetic modifications in the DNA of cancer patients and precancerous lesions provide the promise of novel biomarkers for early cancer prediction, diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment response. In addition, various epigenetic modifications represent potential targets of novel therapeutic strategies and treatments of cancer. In the future, pioneering diagnostic methodologies, technologies and treatment regimens will be based on epigenetic mechanisms and may be integrated into the gynecologist's practice.