Dysregulated Epigenetics of Chordoma: Prognostic Markers and Therapeutic Targets

Abstract

Chordoma is a rare, slow-growing sarcoma that is locally aggressive and typically resistant to conventional chemo- and radiotherapies. Despite its low incidence, chordoma remains a clinical challenge because therapeutic options for chordoma are limited, and little is known about the molecular mechanisms involved in resistance to therapies. Furthermore, there are currently no established predictive or prognostic biomarkers to follow disease progression or treatment. Whole-genome sequencing of chordoma tissues has demonstrated a low-frequency mutation rate compared to other cancers. This has generated interest in the role of epigenetic events in chordoma pathogenesis. In this review, we discuss the current understanding of the epigenetic drivers of chordoma and their potential applications in prognosis and the development of new therapies.

Keywords: Chordoma; DNA methylation; biomarkers; epigenetics; histone modifications; lncRNA; miRNA; prognosis.