Cancer epigenetics

Abstract

Epigenetic studies reveal important insights into cancer biology. This chapter presents a broad picture of how epigenetic changes in health and disease and in response to environment contribute to carcinogenesis, and how findings from newer approaches and emergent technologies may extend these observations. Consideration is given to biological insights drawn from studies of epigenomic patterns in cancer cells, and the influence of epigenomic profiling on diagnosis, therapy, and prognosis. The chapter begins with a brief overview of the concepts and foundations on which epigenetics is built and concludes with comments on prospects for the future of cancer epigenetics.