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Cancer Epigenetics

Cancer is caused by altered gene expression and gene mutations. This would then cause dysregulation in genes, such as upregulation of oncogenes, or downregulation of tumor suppressor genes by multiple epigenetic mechanisms, such as histone modifications, and DNA methylation, which can ultimately causes unregulated proliferation and eventually metastases to other organ systems within the body.These alterations are now known to arise from not only genetic factors, but also from environmental factors, such as, lifestyle and diet. Noncoding RNA, such as micro RNA (miRNA) and long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), have also been known to play a role in cancer. miRNA regulates transcriptional activity of protein-encoding genes, and sometimes they undergo methylation-associated silencing, which prevents them from regulating specific genes that prevent tumor formations.

Kang, Changwon et al. “Epigenetics: An Emerging Player in Gastric Cancer.”World Journal of Gastroenterology : WJG 20.21 (2014): 6433–6447. Print.