title: Poised epigenetic states and acquired drug resistance in cancer.
abstract: Epigenetic events, which are somatically inherited through cell division, are potential drivers of acquired drug resistance in cancer. The high rate of epigenetic change in tumours generates diversity in gene expression patterns that can rapidly evolve through drug selection during treatment, leading to the development of acquired resistance. This will potentially confound stratified chemotherapy decisions that are solely based on mutation biomarkers. Poised epigenetic states in tumour cells may drive multistep epigenetic fixation of gene expression during the acquisition of drug resistance, which has implications for clinical strategies to prevent the emergence of drug resistance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery &Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, London W12 0NN, UK.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery &Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, London W12 0NN, UK.
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Curry
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery &Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, London W12 0NN, UK.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Magnani
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery &Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, London W12 0NN, UK.
authors.forename: Charlotte S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Wilhelm-Benartzi
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery &Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, London W12 0NN, UK.
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Borley
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism