Epigenetics in Human Cancer: Emerging Biomarkers and Therapeutic Targets
A special issue of Biomedicines (ISSN 2227-9059). This special issue belongs to the section "Cancer Biology and Oncology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026 | Viewed by 4558
Special Issue Editor
Interests: cancer biology; translational research; breast cancer; epigenetics; drug resistance; cancer stem cells; epithelial-mesenchymal transition; tumor metastasis; tumor microenvironment
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Beyond genetic alterations, epigenetic changes are increasingly recognized as critical drivers in the initiation, progression, and therapeutic resistance of human cancers. Aberrant DNA methylation and histone modifications frequently lead to the activation of oncogenes or the silencing of tumor suppressor genes.
A growing body of evidence highlights the role of epigenetic regulators in orchestrating key cancer hallmarks, including tumorigenesis, uncontrolled proliferation, survival, metastasis, immune evasion, metabolic reprogramming, and resistance to therapy. These insights have positioned epigenetic mechanisms not only as vital elements of cancer biology but also as promising biomarkers and therapeutic targets. In particular, epigenetic-based therapies—either alone or in combination with chemotherapy, targeted therapy, or immunotherapy—are showing potential to overcome resistance and improve patient outcomes.
This Special Issue aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the epigenetic mechanisms in human cancer. We welcome original research articles and reviews that explore recent advances in cancer epigenetics, novel therapeutic targets, biomarker development, and clinical applications related to epigenetic dysregulation across various cancer types.
Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:
- DNA methylation and demethylation in cancer;
- Histone modifications and chromatin remodeling regulating cancer-associated genes;
- The role of non-coding RNAs (miRNAs, lncRNAs, circRNAs) in cancer;
- Epigenetic therapies to overcome anti-cancer drug resistance;
- Epigenetic reprogramming of the tumor microenvironment;
- Clinical applications and biomarkers based on epigenetic alterations.
We look forward to your valuable contributions to this Special Issue, hoping for them to advance the understanding and clinical application of epigenetics in oncology.
Prof. Dr. Jeong-yeon Lee
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- cancer
- epigenetics
- DNA methylation
- histone modification
- chromatin remodeling
- non-coding RNAs
- therapeutic resistance
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