title: Epigenetic modifications in colorectal cancer: molecular insights and therapeutic challenges.
abstract: Colorectal cancer, a leading cause of mortality worldwide, is a multistep disorder that results from the alteration of genetic and epigenetic mechanisms under contextual influence. Epigenetic aberrations, including DNA methylation, histone modifications, chromatin remodeling and non-coding RNAs, affect every aspect of tumor development from initiation to metastasis. Cancer stem cell promotion is also included in the wide spectrum of epigenetic dysregulations. Elucidation of this complex crosstalk network may offer new insights in the molecular interactions involved in the pathogenesis of colorectal carcinogenesis. In the era of translational medicine new horizons are opened for the pursuit of personalized therapeutic approaches and the development of novel and accurate diagnostic, prognostic and therapy-assessment markers. This review discusses the implications of epigenetic mechanisms in tumor biology and their applications "from bench to bedside".
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Chemistry, University of Athens Medical School, 11527 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Aristeidis G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Vaiopoulos
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Chemistry, University of Athens Medical School, 11527 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Kalliopi Ch
authors.initials: KCh
authors.lastname: Athanasoula
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Chemistry, University of Athens Medical School, 11527 Athens, Greece. Electronic address: papavas@med.uoa.gr.
authors.forename: Athanasios G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Papavassiliou
mesh_terms: D042002:Chromatin Assembly and Disassembly; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D019175:DNA Methylation; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D006657:Histones / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D006657:Histones
keywords: Colorectal cancer; DNA methylation; Epigenetics; Histone modification; Prognosis; Therapy