Research progress on cancer-related epigenetic switches.

The dysregulation of cellular epigenetic machinery has been established as a fundamental driver of oncogenesis. This recognition has propelled cancer epigenetics to the forefront of biomedical research, particularly regarding the mechanistic characterization of epigenetic switching events. These molecular switches represent critical regulatory nodes in the malignant transformation. The epigenetic switch is a complex structure formed through interactions between nucleic acid-protein complexes or protein-protein interaction complexes and specific DNA fragments. Triggered by a priming event, this molecular apparatus can reversibly activate or repress the transcription of multiple downstream genes. The inherent reversibility of these epigenetic switches presents novel therapeutic opportunities for targeted cancer intervention. Consequently, this review provides a systematic analysis of cancer-associated epigenetic switches identified in the past decade.