Cancer is a complex disease in which several molecular and cellular pathways converge to foster the tumoral phenotype. Notably, in the latest iteration of the cancer hallmarks, “nonmutational epigenetic reprogramming” was newly added. However, epigenetics, much like genetics, is a broad scientific area that deserves further attention due to its multiple roles in cancer initiation, progression, and adaptive nature. Herein, we present a detailed examination of the epigenetic hallmarks affected in human cancer, elucidating the pathways and genes involved, and dissecting the disrupted landscapes for DNA methylation, histone modifications, and chromatin architecture that define the disease. Significance: Cancer is a disease characterized by constant evolution, spanning from its initial premalignant stages to the advanced invasive and disseminated stages. It is a pathology that is able to adapt and survive amidst hostile cellular microenvironments and diverse treatments implemented by medical professionals. The more fixed setup of the genetic structure cannot fully provide transformed cells with the tools to survive but the rapid and plastic nature of epigenetic changes is ready for the task. This review summarizes the epigenetic hallmarks that define the ecological success of cancer cells in our bodies.

中文翻译：

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癌症的表观遗传标志


癌症是一种复杂的疾病，其中几种分子和细胞途径汇聚以促进肿瘤表型。值得注意的是，在癌症标志的最新迭代中，新添加了“非突变表观遗传重编程”。然而，表观遗传学与遗传学非常相似，是一个广泛的科学领域，由于其在癌症发生、进展和适应性性质中的多重作用，值得进一步关注。在本文中，我们详细研究了人类癌症中受影响的表观遗传标志，阐明了所涉及的途径和基因，并剖析了定义疾病的 DNA 甲基化、组蛋白修饰和染色质结构的破坏景观。意义： 癌症是一种以不断进化为特征的疾病，从最初的癌前病变期到晚期侵袭性和播散性阶段。这是一种能够在恶劣的细胞微环境和医疗专业人员实施的各种治疗中适应和生存的病理学。遗传结构的更固定设置不能完全为转化的细胞提供生存工具，但表观遗传变化的快速和可塑性已经为这项任务做好了准备。这篇综述总结了定义我们体内癌细胞生态成功的表观遗传标志。