Insights into Pathogenic Interactions Among Environment, Host, and Tumor at the Crossroads of Molecular Pathology and Epidemiology.

Annu Rev Pathol
Authors
Keywords
Abstract

Evidence indicates that diet, nutrition, lifestyle, the environment, the microbiome, and other exogenous factors have pathogenic roles and also influence the genome, epigenome, transcriptome, proteome, and metabolome of tumor and nonneoplastic cells, including immune cells. With the need for big-data research, pathology must transform to integrate data science fields, including epidemiology, biostatistics, and bioinformatics. The research framework of molecular pathological epidemiology (MPE) demonstrates the strengths of such an interdisciplinary integration, having been used to study breast, lung, prostate, and colorectal cancers. The MPE research paradigm not only can provide novel insights into interactions among environment, tumor, and host but also opens new research frontiers. New developments-such as computational digital pathology, systems biology, artificial intelligence, and in vivo pathology technologies-will further transform pathology and MPE. Although it is necessary to address the rarity of transdisciplinary education and training programs, MPE provides an exemplary model of integrative scientific approaches and contributes to advancements in precision medicine, therapy, and prevention.

Year of Publication
2019
Journal
Annu Rev Pathol
Volume
14
Pages
83-103
Date Published
2019 01 24
ISSN
1553-4014
DOI
10.1146/annurev-pathmechdis-012418-012818
PubMed ID
30125150
PubMed Central ID
PMC6345592
Links
Grant list
K07 CA190673 / CA / NCI NIH HHS / United States
R35 CA197735 / CA / NCI NIH HHS / United States