REVIEW article
Front. Genet.
Sec. Pharmacogenetics and Pharmacogenomics
This article is part of the Research TopicGenetic and Pharmacological Frontiers in Cancer TreatmentView all 8 articles
The power and the promise of epigenetic drugs in oncology
Provisionally accepted
Thalita Basso Scandolara1
Isabelle Vasconcelos Menegoy Siqueira2
Luis Felipe Ribeiro Pinto2
Sheila Coelho Soares Lima2*- 1Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, Post-Graduation Program in Translational Medicine, Drug Research and Development Center (NPDM), Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil
- 2National Cancer Institute (INCA), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Epigenetic dysregulation is commonly observed in cancer and has been shown to contribute to different steps of carcinogenesis, from initiation, making cells more prone to transformation, to progression and treatment resistance. Therefore, based on their frequency, relevance and reversibility, epigenetic alterations are promising therapeutic targets in oncology. Although the concept of targeting epigenetic mechanisms is not new, recent advances have been made in reducing toxicity, augmenting specificity, diversifying the targets and combining therapies. In this scoping review, we introduce the main epigenetic mechanisms of gene expression regulation and bring the current knowledge on available epidrugs, focusing on their mechanisms of action and ongoing clinical trials (Graphical Abstract).
Keywords: Cancer, Epidrugs, epigenetic modification, Oncology treatment, therapy
Received: 02 May 2025; Accepted: 02 Dec 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Scandolara, Vasconcelos Menegoy Siqueira, Ribeiro Pinto and Coelho Soares Lima. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Sheila Coelho Soares Lima
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.