A influência da epigenética no câncer de mama: revisão sistemática

Abstract

Introduction: Breast cancer is commonly one of the most diagnosed and mortality-related in the world's female population. Among these, sporadic breast tumors, which represent most cases, are not related to mutations in suppressor genes, but also defined by epigenetic phenomenon in gene expression. Objective: Compile and discuss the epigenetic changes associated with various aspects of breast cancer in worldwide specialized literature. Method: A bibliographic survey was performed relating epigenetic aspects to breast cancer through PubMed and CAPES Journals databases, followed by junction, review and interpretation of the collected data. Results: Several alterations were identified; however, DNA methylation and miRNA dysregulation were the most common on the analyzed studies. DNA methylation, in general, is inversely associated with the transcriptional capacity of the gene, especially in tumor suppressor genes. MicroRNAs have been considered predictors of breast cancer, having prognostic and therapeutic values. It was observed that a single epigenetic alteration can generate repercussions in different fields. Furthermore, some changes are not related to the clinical-pathological characteristics of patients. Conclusions: The diagnosis of epigenetic alterations sets as promising in the management of people with breast cancer and broadens perspectives for dealing with other types of cancer.