Introduction: epigenetics and cancer

Abstract

The field of epigenetics has witnessed a recent explosion in our knowledge on the importance of epigenetic events in the control of both normal cellular processes and abnormal events associated with diseases, moving this field to the forefront of biomedical research. Advances in the field of cancer epigenetics and epigenomics have turned academic, medical, and public attention to the potential application of epigenetics in cancer control. A tremendous pace of discovery in this field requires that these recent conceptual breakthroughs and technological state-of-the-art in epigenetics and epigenomics are updated and summarized in one book with cancer focus. This book is primarily intended to academic and professional audience; however, an attempt has been made to make it understandable by and appealing to a wider audience among healthcare workers. The main aim of this book is to produce an authoritative and comprehensive reference source in print and online, covering all critical aspects of epigenetics and epigenomics and their implications in cancer research. This book discusses the state of science and determines the future research needs, covering most recent advances, both conceptual and technological, and their implication for better understanding of molecular mechanisms of cancer development and progression, early detection, risk assessment, and prevention of cancer. In this chapter, we describe the main aim and scope of this book and provide a brief emphasis of each of 22 chapters regrouped into eight major parts.