Epigenetic as a Novel Biomarker Associated with PAH Exposure and Breast CancerRisk

The pathophysiology and molecular pathways of breast cancer (BC) are still unclear, but it appears that BC is caused by the interaction between genetic susceptibility and environmental factors. Epidemiology studies have shown the increase risk of BC through polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) exposure. Environmental carcinogens induce disease pathways by altering the expression of specific genes that may be a consequence of epigenetic modifications. In order to understand the effects of PAHs in the BC risk, the epigenetic pathway may consider as an important key and likely play a role in BC initiation. Novel epigenetic  biomarkers and treatments hold promise  in the approch of personalized medicine. Here, we focus to review the epigenetic factors in relation to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons exposure that may influence BC risk.

Keywords:

Breast cancer , DNA methylation , Non-coding RNAs , Personalized Medicine