DNA methylation changes in ovarian cancer: Implications for early diagnosis, prognosis and treatment

Abstract Objective To review epigenetic changes identified in ovarian cancer, focusing on their potential as clinical markers for detection, monitoring of disease progression and as markers of therapeutic response. Methods A comprehensive review of English language scientific literature on the topic...

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Published inGynecologic oncology Vol. 109; no. 1; pp. 129 - 139
Main Authors Barton, Caroline A, Hacker, Neville F, Clark, Susan J, O'Brien, Philippa M
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States Elsevier Inc 01.04.2008
Subjects
Cancer biomarkers
DNA Methylation
Female
Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
Hematology, Oncology and Palliative Medicine
Humans
Methylation
Obstetrics and Gynecology
Ovarian cancer
Ovarian Neoplasms - diagnosis
Ovarian Neoplasms - genetics
Ovarian Neoplasms - therapy
Prognosis
Cancer biomarkers
Methylation
Ovarian cancer
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Summary:Abstract Objective To review epigenetic changes identified in ovarian cancer, focusing on their potential as clinical markers for detection, monitoring of disease progression and as markers of therapeutic response. Methods A comprehensive review of English language scientific literature on the topics of methylation and ovarian cancer was conducted. Results Genome-wide demethylation of normally methylated and silenced chromosomal regions, and hypermethylation and silencing of genes including tumor suppressors are common features of cancer cells. Epigenetic alterations, including CpG island DNA methylation, occur in ovarian cancer and the identification of specific genes that are altered by epigenetic events is an area of intense research. Aberrant DNA methylation in ovarian cancer is observed in early cancer development, can be detected in DNA circulating in the blood and hence provides the promise of a non-invasive cancer detection test. In addition, identification of ovarian cancer-specific epigenetic changes has promise in molecular classification and disease stratification. Conclusions The detection of cancer-specific DNA methylation changes heralds an exciting new era in cancer diagnosis as well as evaluation of prognosis and therapeutic responsiveness and warrants further investigation.
Bibliography:ObjectType-Article-2
SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1
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ObjectType-Review-1
ISSN:0090-8258
1095-6859
DOI:10.1016/j.ygyno.2007.12.017