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Circulating epigenetic biomarkers in melanoma

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Tumor Biology

Abstract

Recent researches have shed new light on the importance of epigenetic alterations, including promoter hypermethylation and microRNA dysregulation, in the initiation and progression of melanoma. The clinical utilization of circulating epigenetic markers in melanoma has also been investigated. In this review, we explored the literature and summarized the latest progress in the discovery of circulating epigenetic markers, namely methylated DNA and microRNAs, for non-invasive diagnosis of melanoma, as well as their measurability and predictability. We also discussed the utility of these epigenetic markers as novel prognostic and predictive markers and their association with melanoma clinical phenotypes, including recurrence and patients’ survival. Large-cohort validations are warranted to maximize the clinical utilization of these markers.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) (Grant Number: 81401847).

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    Authors and Affiliations

    1. Department of Dermatology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100042, China

      Yu Xin

    2. Department of Orthopedics Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100042, China

      Zheng Li

    3. Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

      Matthew T.V. Chan & William Ka Kei Wu

    4. State Key Laboratory of Digestive Disease, LKS Institute of Health Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

      William Ka Kei Wu

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    Correspondence to Zheng Li.

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    Yu Xin and Zheng Li contributed equally to this work.

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    Xin, Y., Li, Z., Chan, M.T. et al. Circulating epigenetic biomarkers in melanoma. Tumor Biol. 37, 1487–1492 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13277-015-4599-0

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