Abstract
Penile carcinoma (PeCa) represents an important public health problem in poor and developing countries. Despite its unpredictable behavior and aggressive treatment, there have only been a few reports regarding its molecular data, especially epigenetic mechanisms. The functional diversity in different cell types is acquired by chromatin modifications, which are established by epigenetic regulatory mechanisms involving DNA methylation, histone acetylation, and miRNAs. Recent evidence indicates that the dysregulation in these processes can result in the development of several diseases, including cancer. Epigenetic alterations, such as the methylation of CpGs islands, may reveal candidates for the development of specific markers for cancer detection, diagnosis and prognosis. There are a few reports on the epigenetic alterations in PeCa, and most of these studies have only focused on alterations in specific genes in a limited number of cases. This review aims to provide an overview of the current knowledge of the epigenetic alterations in PeCa and the promising results in this field. The identification of epigenetically altered genes in PeCa is an important step in understanding the mechanisms involved in this unexplored disease.
Highlights
Penile carcinoma (PeCa), relatively rare in developed countries of the world, is associated with high morbidity and mortality rates in poor and developing countries
The involvement of regional lymph nodes is the best indicator of long-term survival in patients with invasive penile carcinomas [7]
Epstein-Barr virus positivity was found in 46.7% of cases, and more than 23% of the men were co-infected with both human papillomavirus (HPV)
Summary
Penile carcinoma (PeCa), relatively rare in developed countries of the world, is associated with high morbidity and mortality rates in poor and developing countries. The incidence of PeCa varies among populations, with an incidence rate of 0.58 and 0.84 per 100,000 males in United States and in the Western world, respectively [1,2]. This rate is higher in developing countries, ranging from 2.3 to 8 cases per 100,000 men [3]. There is a lack of information regarding the molecular genetic and epigenetic alterations and PeCa. Several studies in other cancer types have focused on epigenetic alterations, and there are promising data from clinical trials regarding the targeting of genes that regulate epigenetic events [11,12]. The published studies on PeCa are limited to the evaluation of CpG islands in specific genes
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
