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CC BY 4.0 · Glob Med Genet 2022; 09(03): 258-262
DOI: 10.1055/s-0042-1757404
Review Article

Epigenetic Alteration in Colorectal Cancer: A Biomarker for Diagnostic and Therapeutic Application

Hafsa Yousif Solayman Essa
1   Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Near East University, Nicosia, Cyprus
,
Gunay Kusaf
1   Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Near East University, Nicosia, Cyprus
,
Ozel Yuruker
2   Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Kyrenia University, Kyrenia, Cyprus
,
Rasime Kalkan
3   Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Cyprus Health and Social Sciences University, Guzelyurt, Cyprus
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Abstract

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide. A crucial process that initiates and progresses CRC is various epigenetic and genetic changes occurring in colon epithelial cells. Recently, huge progress has been made to understand cancer epigenetics, especially regarding DNA methylation changes, histone modifications, dysregulation of miRNAs and noncoding RNAs. In the “epigenome” of colon cancer, abnormal methylation of genes that cause gene alterations or expression of miRNA has been reported in nearly all CRC; these findings can be encountered in the average CRC methylome. Epigenetic changes, known as driving events, are assumed to play a dominant part in CRC. Furthermore, as epigenetic changes in CRC become properly understood, these changes are being established as clinical biomarkers for therapeutic and diagnostic purposes. Progression in this area indicates that epigenetic changes will often be utilized in the future to prevent and treat CRC.

Keywords

colorectal cancer - DNA methylation - epigenetics


Publication History

Article published online:
29 September 2022

© 2022. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, permitting unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction so long as the original work is properly cited. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

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