DNA methylation: a marker for carcinogen exposure and cancer risk

摘要: Cancers arise as a consequence of multiple genetic and epigenetic alterations. Many genes aberrantly methylated in cancers have been identified recent years, their use cancer diagnosis therapy is currently under investigation. During our genome-wide screening for novel tumor-suppressor gene gastric cancers, we found that only small amount aberrant methylation was present, even non-cancerous mucosae. A subsequent large-scale analysis the mucosae healthy individuals patients using quantitative methylation-specific PCR (qMSP) revealed Helicobacter pylori infection potently induced DNA these high levels can decrease following cessation H. infection. specific among 48 be cell lines. Most importantly, without correlated with risk cancer. These findings show field cancerization formed by this measured marker. The concept an “epigenetic cancerization” has also demonstrated colon breast it possibly present other diseases. Applied knowledge changes human diseases now started to make impact on prevention, diagnostics, therapeutics