Epigenetics and environment in breast cancer: New paradigms for anti-cancer therapies

Breast cancer remains the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women worldwide. Delayed presentation of the disease, late stage at diagnosis, limited therapeutic options, metastasis, and relapse are the major factors contributing to breast cancer mortality. The development and progression of breast cancer is a complex and multi-step process that incorporates an accumulation of several genetic and epigenetic alterations. External environmental factors and internal cellular microenvironmental cues influence the occurrence of these alterations that drives tumorigenesis. Here, we discuss state-of-the-art information on the epigenetics of breast cancer and how environmental risk factors orchestrate major epigenetic events, emphasizing the necessity for a multidisciplinary approach toward a better understanding of the gene-environment interactions implicated in breast cancer. Since epigenetic modifications are reversible and are susceptible to extrinsic and intrinsic stimuli, they offer potential avenues that can be targeted for designing robust breast cancer therapies.

Automated summary

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women worldwide, and factors such as delayed presentation, late stage at diagnosis, limited treatment options, metastasis, and relapse contribute to high mortality rates. The development and progression of breast cancer involve complex genetic and epigenetic alterations, influenced by external environmental factors and internal cellular microenvironmental cues. Understanding the gene-environment interactions in breast cancer through a multidisciplinary approach is crucial. Epigenetic modifications, being reversible and influenced by external and intrinsic stimuli, offer potential avenues for designing effective therapies for breast cancer.