engleski

The Prospective Role of Epigenetics for P4

While a personalized approach to cancer patients, as defined in the postulates of P4 medicine, strongly relies on the person’s unique genetics, epigenetic phenomena have yet to be properly explored for the benefits of P4 medicine. A strong, selective, epigenetic-related therapeutic approach to a cancer patient is yet to be significantly developed. This is because epigenetic processes take place in all cells, healthy and malignant. Thus, a valid goal would be a targeted therapeutic influence on only malignant cells, through a sensitive rebalance of their multilevel epigenome network, allowing for a maximum therapeutic benefit while avoiding severe side effects. So far, the unique epigenetic cellular features have been the basis for developing specific diagnostic tests, some already showing great benefits in aspects of diagnostics and surveillance relating to specific malignant tumors. The epi-drugs development is strong and compelling. It is now up to medical science, basic and clinical, to ascertain more information from epigenetic processes, governed by yet unexplored molecular rules, and position them in the specific windows of the P4 medicine. This chapter provides some basic knowledge about human epigenetics, with a focus on cancer. It also provides insight into the currently available diagnostic tests and therapeutics. The strength of the epigenome network in a cell and our future ability to selectively influence it, especially for cancer therapy, should assume its important place in future P4 related medical applications.

P4, epigenetics, diagnostic tests, histone, DNA methylation

nije evidentirano