Identification of a methylome signature of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Background & Aims: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is believed to arise from esophageal mucosa through accumulation of both genetic and epigenetic changes. DNA methylation is a critical epigenetic mechanism involved in key cellular processes and its deregulation has been linked to many human cancers, including ESCC. The aim of this study is to examine the global deregulation of methylation states in ESCC and identify potential early biomarkers. Conclusions: This is the first study to address methylation changes in ESCC in a large panel of genes. Methylome analysis is shown as a sensitive and powerful tool to identify molecular players in ESCC. These data should prove to be the reference for future studies identifying potential biomarkers and molecular targets of ESCC. We performed a bead array analysis of more than 800 cancer-related genes in a series of 10 ESCC samples, 10 matched surrounding tissues, and 4 esophageal mucosa from healthy individuals. Pyrosequencing was used for validation of DNA methylation changes in up to 106 patients and 27 controls.