THE IMPACT OF EPIGENETICS AND TRANSCRIPTIONAL REGULATIONS IN THE PROGRESSION AND TREATMENT OF BREAST CANCER
Main Article Content
Keywords
Breast cancer, chemoresistance, epigenetics.
Abstract
Breast cancer has become the second leading reason behind cancer-related deaths among women across the globe. The extensively reported chemoresistance has resulted in limited treatment options for this disease, emphasizing the urgent need for innovative therapeutic strategies. Epigenetics, a field of biological research,refers to heritable changes in gene expression that occur without alterations to the DNA sequence. This sophisticated phenomenon plays vital role in gene regulation. Breast cancer being a heterogeneous disease, undergoes various adaptive changes over time, leading to more aggressive biological characteristics and resistance to treatment. Epigenetic modifications significantly influence both the initiation and progression of breast cancer.Recent advances in epigenomic profiling have revealed aberrant DNA methylation, histone modification, and non-coding RNA expression patterns associated with tumour development and metastasis. These epigenetic markers not only serve as potential diagnostic and prognostic tools but also offer promising targets for therapeutic intervention. Drugs that reverse such modifications, termed epidrugs, are currently under investigation for their ability to re-sensitize tumors to conventional therapies. Moreover, combining epigenetic therapy with immunotherapy or chemotherapy is showing potential in overcoming resistance mechanisms. Understanding the dynamic nature of epigenetic regulation in breast cancer could pave the way for more personalized and effective treatment approaches in the near future.
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