title: Targeting the epigenome in ovarian cancer.
abstract: Epithelial ovarian cancer is the leading cause of death from gynecological cancers, largely owing to the development of recurrent intractable disease. Only a small number of distinct genetic mutations are known to contribute to ovarian carcinogenesis. Furthermore, understanding mechanistic genotype-phenotype links is complicated by frequent aneuploidy. Epigenetic deregulation is even more prominent, and ovarian cancers are replete with such aberrations that repress tumor suppressors and activate proto-oncogenes. Epigenetic therapies are emerging as promising agents for resensitizing platinum-resistant ovarian cancers. These drugs may also have the potential to alter epigenetic programming in cancer progenitor cells and provide a strategy for improving therapy of ovarian cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Duke University Medical Center, PO Box 91012, Durham, NC 27708, USA. susan.murphy@duke.edu
authors.forename: Susan K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Murphy
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents