DNA Methylation: A Possible Target for Current and Future Studies on Cancer?

The field of epigenetics encompasses studies about the ways in which genes are influenced by various external stimuli, such as drugs, chemicals, and the environment. Over the last few years, it has become an increasingly important area of research. Recently, substantial evidence has been presented for the claim that certain diseases, including cancer, exhibit epigenetic changes. In the present overview, we will give a brief summary of recent observations on epigenetics and cancer as well as of the ways in which various small molecules may influence the epigenetic state of cells.