Epigenetics of Kidney Cancer And Bladder Cancer

Abstract

This article focuses on the epigenetic alterations of aberrant promoter hypermethylation of genes, and histone modifications or RNA interference in cancer cells. Current knowledge of the hypermethylation of allele(s) in classical tumor suppressor genes in inherited and sporadic cancer, candidate tumor suppressor and other cancer genes is summarized gene by gene. Global and array-based studies of tumor cell hypermethylation are discussed. The importance of standardization of scoring of the methylation status of a gene is highlighted. The histone marks associated with hypermethylated genes, and the miRNAs with dysregulated expression, in kidney or bladder tumor cells are also discussed. Kidney cancer has the highest mortality rate of the genito–urinary cancers. There are management issues associated with the high recurrence rate of superficial bladder cancer, while muscle-invasive bladder cancer has a poor prognosis. These clinical problems are the basis for the translational application of gene hypermethylation in the diagnosis and prognosis of kidney and bladder cancer.

KEYWORDS::

• bladder cancer
• methylome
• promoter hypermethylation
• RCC
• renal cell carcinoma
• translational application
• tumor suppressor gene

Author disclosure

The contents of this article is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Cancer Institute or the NIH.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

This publication was supported in part by grant number P30 CA006927 from the National Cancer Institute. Additional funds were provided by Fox Chase Cancer Center via institutional support of the Kidney Cancer Keystone Program. Paul Cairns has received financial compensation as a member of the scientific advisory board for Oncomethylome Sciences Inc. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

This publication was supported in part by grant number P30 CA006927 from the National Cancer Institute. Additional funds were provided by Fox Chase Cancer Center via institutional support of the Kidney Cancer Keystone Program. Paul Cairns has received financial compensation as a member of the scientific advisory board for Oncomethylome Sciences Inc. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed. No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.