Drug Discovery in Cancer Epigenetics

Book excerpt: Drug Discovery in Cancer Epigenetics is a practical resource for scientists involved in the discovery, testing, and development of epigenetic cancer drugs. Epigenetic modifications can have significant implications for translational science as biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis or therapy prediction. Most importantly, epigenetic modifications are reversible and epigenetic players are found mutated in different cancers; therefore, they provide attractive therapeutic targets. There has been great interest in developing and testing epigenetic drugs, which inhibit DNA methyltransferases, histone modifying enzymes or chromatin reader proteins. The first few drugs are already FDA approved and have made their way into clinical settings. This book provides a comprehensive summary of the epigenetic drugs currently available and aims to increase awareness in this area to foster more rapid translation of epigenetic drugs into the clinic. - Highlights the potential of epigenetic alterations in cancer for drug development - Covers the tools and methods for epigenetic drug discovery, preclinical and clinical testing, and clinical implications of epigenetic therapy - Provides important information regarding putative epigenetic targets, epigenetic technologies, networks and consortia for epigenetic drug discovery and routes for translation