Epigenetics, Probiotic Metabolites and Colon Cancer Prevention: An Overview of Progress, Opportunities and Challenges

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common epithelial neoplasia across the globe, with about 1.2 million newly diagnosed cases and over 600,000 mortalities annually. The underlying causes are numerous including dietary ingredients, environmental factors and gut metabolome that affect colon cellular gene regulation and post-translational modifications of the proteome. Collectively, these alterations initiate epigenetic modifications leading to the inception of various metabolic diseases and malignancies. Epigenetics is at the core of modern medicine since it deals with complex processes that turn the expression of certain genes on and off, and it elucidates the mechanisms and connections between genotypes and the environment during various stages of life. However, the majority of the vertical molecular mechanisms with reference to epigenomics, epigenetic and metabolic ailments are still unidentified and need further research. This article summarizes the burgeoning role of probiotic metabolites and some prominent therapeutic dietary ingredients in the management of CRC.