Recent advances on gene-related DNA methylation in cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment: a clinical perspective
Abstract Recent advances in screening programs and the development of innovative therapeutic strategies have significantly improved the clinical outcomes of cancer patients. However, many patients still experience treatment failure, primarily due to inherent or acquired drug resistance mechanisms. T...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2025-05-01
|
| Series: | Clinical Epigenetics |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13148-025-01884-2 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850277679788457984 |
|---|---|
| author | Alessandro Lavoro Daria Ricci Giuseppe Gattuso Federica Longo Graziana Spoto Anastasia Cristina Venera Vitale Maria Chiara Giuliana Luca Falzone Massimo Libra Saverio Candido |
| author_facet | Alessandro Lavoro Daria Ricci Giuseppe Gattuso Federica Longo Graziana Spoto Anastasia Cristina Venera Vitale Maria Chiara Giuliana Luca Falzone Massimo Libra Saverio Candido |
| author_sort | Alessandro Lavoro |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Recent advances in screening programs and the development of innovative therapeutic strategies have significantly improved the clinical outcomes of cancer patients. However, many patients still experience treatment failure, primarily due to inherent or acquired drug resistance mechanisms. This challenge underscores the urgent need for novel therapeutic targets for the effective treatment of malignancies, as well as cancer-specific biomarkers to enhance early diagnosis and guide interventions. Epigenetic mechanisms, including DNA methylation, have recently garnered growing interest as key regulators of gene expression under both physiological and pathological conditions. Although epigenetic dysregulations are reliable tumor hallmarks, DNA methylation is still not routinely integrated into clinical practice, highlighting the need for further research to translate preclinical findings from the bench to the bedside. On these bases, the present review aims to illustrate the state of the art regarding the role of DNA methylation in cancer, describing the technologies currently available for DNA methylation profiling. Furthermore, the latest evidence on the application of DNA methylation hotspots in cancer diagnosis and prognosis, as well as the impact of epidrugs in cancer care, is discussed to provide a comprehensive overview of the potential clinical relevance of DNA methylation in advancing personalized medicine. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-cbe4e88cb30d4cf3a761075c9c29b0ec |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1868-7083 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Clinical Epigenetics |
| spelling | doaj-art-cbe4e88cb30d4cf3a761075c9c29b0ec2025-08-20T01:49:47ZengBMCClinical Epigenetics1868-70832025-05-0117114210.1186/s13148-025-01884-2Recent advances on gene-related DNA methylation in cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment: a clinical perspectiveAlessandro Lavoro0Daria Ricci1Giuseppe Gattuso2Federica Longo3Graziana Spoto4Anastasia Cristina Venera Vitale5Maria Chiara Giuliana6Luca Falzone7Massimo Libra8Saverio Candido9Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of CataniaDepartment of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of CataniaDepartment of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of CataniaDepartment of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of CataniaDepartment of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of CataniaDepartment of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of CataniaDepartment of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of CataniaDepartment of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of CataniaDepartment of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of CataniaDepartment of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of CataniaAbstract Recent advances in screening programs and the development of innovative therapeutic strategies have significantly improved the clinical outcomes of cancer patients. However, many patients still experience treatment failure, primarily due to inherent or acquired drug resistance mechanisms. This challenge underscores the urgent need for novel therapeutic targets for the effective treatment of malignancies, as well as cancer-specific biomarkers to enhance early diagnosis and guide interventions. Epigenetic mechanisms, including DNA methylation, have recently garnered growing interest as key regulators of gene expression under both physiological and pathological conditions. Although epigenetic dysregulations are reliable tumor hallmarks, DNA methylation is still not routinely integrated into clinical practice, highlighting the need for further research to translate preclinical findings from the bench to the bedside. On these bases, the present review aims to illustrate the state of the art regarding the role of DNA methylation in cancer, describing the technologies currently available for DNA methylation profiling. Furthermore, the latest evidence on the application of DNA methylation hotspots in cancer diagnosis and prognosis, as well as the impact of epidrugs in cancer care, is discussed to provide a comprehensive overview of the potential clinical relevance of DNA methylation in advancing personalized medicine.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13148-025-01884-2DNA methylationDifferential methylated regionCancerBiomarkerEpigeneticsTherapeutic target |
| spellingShingle | Alessandro Lavoro Daria Ricci Giuseppe Gattuso Federica Longo Graziana Spoto Anastasia Cristina Venera Vitale Maria Chiara Giuliana Luca Falzone Massimo Libra Saverio Candido Recent advances on gene-related DNA methylation in cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment: a clinical perspective Clinical Epigenetics DNA methylation Differential methylated region Cancer Biomarker Epigenetics Therapeutic target |
| title | Recent advances on gene-related DNA methylation in cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment: a clinical perspective |
| title_full | Recent advances on gene-related DNA methylation in cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment: a clinical perspective |
| title_fullStr | Recent advances on gene-related DNA methylation in cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment: a clinical perspective |
| title_full_unstemmed | Recent advances on gene-related DNA methylation in cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment: a clinical perspective |
| title_short | Recent advances on gene-related DNA methylation in cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment: a clinical perspective |
| title_sort | recent advances on gene related dna methylation in cancer diagnosis prognosis and treatment a clinical perspective |
| topic | DNA methylation Differential methylated region Cancer Biomarker Epigenetics Therapeutic target |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13148-025-01884-2 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT alessandrolavoro recentadvancesongenerelateddnamethylationincancerdiagnosisprognosisandtreatmentaclinicalperspective AT dariaricci recentadvancesongenerelateddnamethylationincancerdiagnosisprognosisandtreatmentaclinicalperspective AT giuseppegattuso recentadvancesongenerelateddnamethylationincancerdiagnosisprognosisandtreatmentaclinicalperspective AT federicalongo recentadvancesongenerelateddnamethylationincancerdiagnosisprognosisandtreatmentaclinicalperspective AT grazianaspoto recentadvancesongenerelateddnamethylationincancerdiagnosisprognosisandtreatmentaclinicalperspective AT anastasiacristinaveneravitale recentadvancesongenerelateddnamethylationincancerdiagnosisprognosisandtreatmentaclinicalperspective AT mariachiaragiuliana recentadvancesongenerelateddnamethylationincancerdiagnosisprognosisandtreatmentaclinicalperspective AT lucafalzone recentadvancesongenerelateddnamethylationincancerdiagnosisprognosisandtreatmentaclinicalperspective AT massimolibra recentadvancesongenerelateddnamethylationincancerdiagnosisprognosisandtreatmentaclinicalperspective AT saveriocandido recentadvancesongenerelateddnamethylationincancerdiagnosisprognosisandtreatmentaclinicalperspective |