Epigenetics in the pathogenesis and early detection of gastric cancer

Corvalan, A

Abstract

Gastric cancer is the first cause of death for cancer in Chile. The recently identified genetic alterations in these tumors have not yielded new biomarkers for the disease. Epigenetics or the study of reversible genomic changes that do not affect protein codifying DNA sequences but cause phenotypic disturbances, is identifying new cancer biomarkers. Specifically, the loss of expression caused by the covalent link of a methyl group to carbon 5 of cytosine (DNA hypermethylation) is extensively evaluated. Performing an epigenetic evaluation of 24 genes, we have identified eight genes associated to the aggressive signet ring cell type gastric cancer, the association between APC hypermethylation and worse prognosis and BRCA1 hypermethylation association with early onset of gastric cancer. The most interesting findings are the hypermethylation of Reprimo gene in plasma as a population biomarker and the tissue over expression of p73 gene (as a consequence of hypomethylation) as a high risk indicator of progression to gastric cancer. All these findings are indicating an important role of epigenetics in the pathogenesis and early detection of gastric cancer.

Más información

Título según WOS: Epigenetics in the pathogenesis and early detection of gastric cancer
Título de la Revista: REVISTA MEDICA DE CHILE
Volumen: 141
Número: 12
Editorial: SOC MEDICA SANTIAGO
Fecha de publicación: 2013
Página de inicio: 1570
Página final: 1577
Idioma: Spanish
Notas: ISI