Epigenetics: A New Frontier in Cancer Prevention
Clinicians and scientists at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, part of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, are exploring one of the most promising frontiers in cancer prevention: epigenetics.
This emerging field is changing the way we understand the link between lifestyle and cancer risk, offering new insights into how diet, exercise, stress and environmental exposures influence our genes—and potentially how we can prevent cancer.
“In the last decade or so, there has been a growing body of research that is helping us understand how lifestyle choices and environmental factors influence our genes and how this can be used to stop cancer before it starts,” says Tracy Crane, Ph.D., RDN, director of lifestyle medicine, prevention, and digital health at Sylvester.
What is epigenetics?
Epigenetics is the study of how genes are turned on or off without changing the DNA sequence.
Think of it like software that runs on the hardware of your genes. Environmental exposures, nutrition, and other lifestyle factors act like switches—turning genes on or off. This has massive implications not just for cancer, but for many diseases.
Three types of epigenetic changes
- DNA Methylation: Regulates whether genes are active or inactive. Improper activation or silencing of genes can lead to cancer.
- Histone Modifications: Changes how tightly DNA is wound around proteins. Loosely wound DNA is more likely to activate genes; tightly wound DNA keeps them “off.”
- Non-coding RNAs: These don’t create proteins but help regulate gene activity. They control how cells grow and divide—key factors in cancer development.
Good news: Epigenetic changes may be reversible.
One of the most hopeful aspects of this science? Epigenetic changes are potentially reversible.
Dr. Crane’s team uses what’s known about gene expression to create personalized cancer prevention plans for patients. These plans include:
- Monitoring diet and physical activity
- Helping individuals achieve and maintain a healthy weight
- Avoiding or quitting tobacco and alcohol
This same approach is being adapted for cancer prevention in high-risk individuals.
The diet-cancer link: Foods that help or hurt
Nutrition is one of the most studied areas in epigenetics, because diet is a risk factor we can control.
“There are compounds within foods that are quite powerful and help to keep our bodies healthy,” says Dr. Crane. “Knowing this can help us change behavior to improve eating habits and reduce cancer risk.”
Cancer-fighting nutrients:
- Glucosinolates: Found in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts and kale. Help detoxify the body.
- Flavonoids: Found in berries, apples, onions and tea. Help neutralize damaging free radicals.
- Curcumin: Found in turmeric. It may help lower cancer risk through a reduction in inflammation.
On the flip side, ultra-processed foods are associated with higher cancer risk. These foods often contain added sugars and fat, preservatives, artificial colors and flavor enhancers, which are linked to harmful changes in gene regulation.
Vitamins that act like gene regulators.
At Sylvester, Luisa Cimmino, Ph.D., assistant professor of biochemistry and molecular biology, studies how nutrients affect the chemistry of blood cells and their potential to become cancerous. Her lab focuses on vitamins C and A as natural epigenetic regulators and tumor suppressors. In some high-risk individuals, supplementing with vitamin C may help prevent or slow blood cancers like acute myeloid leukemia.
“Combining vitamins A and C can boost their anti-cancer activity,” Dr. Cimmino explains. “They’re available in supplement form but are also naturally co-enriched in fruits and vegetables.”
Key takeaway: No one food is a cure-all — but a diet rich in whole foods like leafy greens, berries, seeds and green tea is your best defense.
How stress and exercise affect genes.
Chronic stress and physical activity also influence gene expression.
- Stress: Hormones like cortisol can switch tumor suppressor genes off and oncogenes on, increasing cancer risk.
- Exercise: Being physically active does the opposite — it turns cancer-causing genes off and activates protective ones.
Aging and cancer: The SIRT5 connection
Another emerging field: how aging and epigenetic changes combine to raise cancer risk.
David Lombard, M.D., Ph.D., co-leads Sylvester’s Cancer Epigenetics Program. His lab focuses on proteins called sirtuins, specifically SIRT5, which regulate aging, metabolism and stress.
While SIRT5 helps normal cells survive stress, it also supports cancer cell growth. Dr. Lombard’s team is developing SIRT5 inhibitors that have shown strong results in lab models and could soon move to clinical trials.
“Our current focus is on a cancer of children and young adults called Ewing sarcoma,” says Dr. Lombard. “When we target SIRT5 in Ewing cells, they die. This is a very exciting finding, especially since current therapies have severe long-term side effects.”
Final thoughts: Prevention starts with you
The science of epigenetics is evolving, but its message is clear: Your lifestyle choices matter.
From food and fitness to stress and supplements, what you do today may influence whether key genes stay “on” or “off” tomorrow. And that might just mean the difference between developing cancer or preventing it altogether.
Written by Ana Veciana-Suárez, a regular contributor to the University of Miami Health System. She is an acclaimed author and journalist who has worked for The Miami Herald, The Miami News, and The Palm Beach Post.
Tags: Cancer Prevention Strategies, Cancer Risk Reduction, Dr. Luisa Cimmino, Dr. Tracy Crane, Gene Expression Modulation, Sirtuin Proteins, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center
