The Cancer Epigenome: A Review

Abstract

This review covers the current literature, since the completion of the Human Genome Project, on the cancer epigenome, including both cancer epigenetics and epigenomics. To that end, the transition from the human genome to the cancer genome is initially discussed, especially in terms of the hallmarks of cancer and its associated somatic mutation theory of cancer, along with the failure of this theory-based strictly on genetic mutations-to account for carcinogenesis and metastasis. The cancer epigenome (as well as both cancer epigenetics and epigenomics) is examined next, especially with respect to its role in tumorigenesis. The review’s main goal is to address what constitutes the cancer epigenome vis-a-vis the cancer genome and what the relationship is between them.