gamma-H2AX: Can it be established as a classical cancer prognostic factor?

• Published in: Tumor Biology Vol. 39; no. 3; p. 1010428317695931
• Main Authors: Palla, Viktoria-Varvara, Karaolanis, Georgios, Katafigiotis, Ioannis, Anastasiou, Ioannis, Patapis, Paul, Dimitroulis, Dimitrios, Perrea, Despoina
• Format: Book Review Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01-03-2017; Sage Publications Ltd; IOS Press
• Subjects: Ataxia; Authorship; Biomarkers, Tumor - genetics; Bone cancer; Breast cancer; Cancer; Cell cycle; Cell division; Cervix; Colon; Deoxyribonucleic acid; DNA; DNA Breaks, Double-Stranded; DNA damage; DNA Damage - genetics; DNA repair; DNA Repair - genetics; Endometrial cancer; Endometrium; Esophagus; Flow cytometry; Genetic transformation; Genomic Instability; Histones - genetics; Humans; Kinases; Lung cancer; Medical prognosis; Medical screening; Melanoma; Methods; Neoplasms - genetics; Neoplasms - pathology; Neuroblastoma; Phosphorylation; Prognosis; Proteins; Serine; cancer; histone; gamma-H2AX; prognosis; DNA damage
• ISSN: 1010-4283; 1423-0380
• DOI: 10.1177/1010428317695931

Double-strand breaks are among the first procedures taking place in cancer formation and progression as a result of endogenic and exogenic factors. The histone variant H2AX undergoes phosphorylation at serine 139 due to double-strand breaks, and the gamma-H2AX is formatted as a result of genomic instability. The detection of gamma-H2AX can potentially serve as a biomarker for transformation of normal tissue to premalignant and consequently to malignant tissues. gamma-H2AX has already been investigated in a variety of cancer types, including breast, lung, colon, cervix, and ovary cancers. The prognostic value of gamma-H2AX is indicated in certain cancer types, such as breast or endometrial cancer, but further investigation is needed to establish gamma-H2AX as a prognostic marker. This review outlines the role of gamma-H2AX in cell cycle, and its formation as a result of DNA damage. We investigate the role of gamma-H2AX formation in several cancer types and its correlation with other prognostic factors, and we try to find out whether it fulfills the requirements for its establishment as a classical cancer prognostic factor.