Gene

Acquired resistance

Epigenetic therapy

Biology

Epigenetics

Hormone therapy

Cancer research

DNA methylation

Genetics

Chromatin

Epigenome

Bioinformatics

Internal medicine

Oncology

Medicine

Breast cancer

Disease

Cancer

Gene expression

Nature Communications

The majority of breast cancers express the estrogen receptor (ERα) and agents targeting this pathway represent the main treatment modality. Endocrine therapy has proven successful in the treatment of hormone-responsive breast cancer since its early adoption in the 1940s as an ablative therapy. Unfortunately, therapeutic resistance arises, leading to disease recurrence and relapse. Recent studies increased our understanding in how changes to the chromatin landscape and deregulation of epigenetic factors orchestrate the resistant phenotype. Here, we will discuss how the epigenome is an integral determinant in hormone therapy response and why epigenetic factors are promising targets for overcoming clinical resistance.

Epigenetic mechanisms in breast cancer therapy and resistance