Cancer is a disease that results from the successive accumulation of genetic and epigenetic alterations. Despite intense study, many unanswered questions about the nature of the contribution of epigenetic changes to carcinogenesis remain. In this review, we describe principles of epigenetics as they relate to our current understanding of carcinogenesis. There are a number of in vivo models of specific pathways of carcinogenesis that are very useful for the characterization of epigenetic mechanisms that link environmental exposures or genetic susceptibility and cancer progression. Because epigenetic alterations are thought to be reversible, they offer great promise for treatment of cancer. The use of animal models to evaluate the effects of decitabine and zebularine has elucidated the mechanisms of action and indicated the potential for these types of treatment. Ultimately, the greatest challenge lies in the integration of laboratory and epidemiologic data to best prevent and treat this deadly disease.
Keywords: cancer; chromatin; epigenetics; histones; mechanisms; methylation.