"New study reveals that cancer risk may be determined before birth, suggesting new directions for diagnosis and treatment"
A groundbreaking study by scientists at the Van Andel Institute suggests that lifetime cancer risk may be determined before birth. The study, published in Nature Cancer, identifies two distinct epigenetic states that develop early in development and influence cancer susceptibility. The low-risk state is linked to liquid tumors such as leukemia, while the high-risk state is linked to solid tumors such as lung and prostate cancer. The study highlights that epigenetic factors – and not just genetic mutations – play a central role in cancer development.
"Because most cancers occur later in life and are considered diseases caused by mutations or genetics, there has been little research into how development may shape cancer risk. Our findings change that," said Dr. J. Andrew Pospisilik, Chair of the Department of Epigenetics at VAI and co-author of the study.
"Identifying the two different epigenetic states opens the door to a whole new world of research into the foundations of cancer."
The role of epigenetics in cancer development
The risk of cancer increases as we age, due to the accumulation of DNA damage and other factors. However, not every abnormal cell becomes cancer. In recent years, scientists have also identified additional influences – such as epigenetic errors – that contribute to the development of cancer.
Epigenetics is a set of processes that influence how and when the instructions in DNA are carried out. When problems occur in epigenetics, cellular quality control processes are compromised, allowing the damaged cells to survive and proliferate.
In their study, Pospisilik and colleagues found that mice with reduced levels of the Trim28 gene developed one of two patterns of epigenetic marking on cancer-related genes, despite being otherwise identical. These patterns are established during development, and their strength determines which of the epigenetic states—low or high—will translate into cancer risk.
"Everyone has a certain level of risk, but when cancer develops we tend to see it as 'bad luck'. However, bad luck is not the entire explanation for why some people develop cancer and others do not. Importantly, bad luck is not treatable, whereas epigenetics is amenable to study and treatment. Our findings show that the roots of cancer may begin during the sensitive period of development, offering a new perspective for studying the disease and new possibilities for diagnosis and treatment."
The team found evidence for both epigenetic states in different tissues in the body, suggesting that developmental epigenetic risk may be common across different types of cancer. Future studies will examine the effects of these two states in specific types of cancer.
More of the topic in Hayadan:
