title: Targeting epigenetic mediators of gene expression in thoracic malignancies.
abstract: Lung and esophageal cancers and malignant pleural mesotheliomas are highly lethal neoplasms that are leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Presently, limited information is available pertaining to epigenetic mechanisms mediating initiation and progression of these neoplasms. The following presentation will focus on the potential clinical relevance of epigenomic alterations in thoracic malignancies mediated by DNA methylation, perturbations in the histone code, and polycomb group proteins, as well as ongoing translational efforts to target epigenetic regulators of gene expression for treatment of these neoplasms. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Chromatin in time and space.
authors.affiliation: Thoracic Oncology Section, Surgery Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Rm. 4-3940, 10 Center Drive, MSC 1201, Bethesda, MD 20892-1201, USA. david_schrump@nih.gov
authors.forename: David S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Schrump
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002843:Chromatin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D019175:DNA Methylation; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D016147:Genes, Tumor Suppressor; D006801:Humans; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D063146:Polycomb-Group Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D013899:Thoracic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002843:Chromatin; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D063146:Polycomb-Group Proteins