Epigenetic basis and targeting of cancer metastasis

Rakesh Banerjee; Jim Smith; Michael R Eccles; Robert J Weeks; Aniruddha Chatterjee

doi:10.1016/j.trecan.2021.11.008

Epigenetic basis and targeting of cancer metastasis

Trends Cancer. 2022 Mar;8(3):226-241. doi: 10.1016/j.trecan.2021.11.008. Epub 2021 Dec 22.

Authors

Rakesh Banerjee¹, Jim Smith¹, Michael R Eccles¹, Robert J Weeks¹, Aniruddha Chatterjee²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pathology, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand.
² Department of Pathology, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand. Electronic address: aniruddha.chatterjee@otago.ac.nz.

PMID: 34952829
DOI: 10.1016/j.trecan.2021.11.008

Abstract

Despite the development of novel therapeutic approaches and improved clinical management, survival from metastatic disease remains poor. Indeed, metastasis accounts for the vast majority of cancer-related deaths. The metastatic cascade comprises a complex range of molecular events that cannot be explained by genetic aberrations alone; dynamic, epigenetic regulatory mechanisms are now being implicated as key drivers of successful metastasis. With the emergence of CRISPR-based epigenomic editing, it is now possible to investigate the direct role of locus-specific epigenetic alterations in metastatic progression. Here, we review the role of epigenetic mechanisms in cancer metastasis, explore recent developments in technologies for epigenomic investigation, and highlight the emerging applications of epigenomic editing technologies in the clinical management of cancer.

Keywords: CRISPR; cancer metastasis; epigenetic dysregulation; epigenetic editing.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Epigenesis, Genetic
Epigenomics*
Humans
Neoplasms* / genetics
Neoplasms* / therapy