Cancer’s initiation and progression: Deciphering the role of genetic and epigenetic alterations

Cancer is a complex disease involving both genetic and epigenetic alterations that drive the transformation of normal cells into malignant ones. In this review, we discuss how genetic mutations and epigenetic changes contribute to cancer initiation and progression. Genetic changes such as mutations, deletions or amplifications of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes are crucial for the development of most cancers. In addition, epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation, histone modifications and non-coding RNAs are also frequently dysregulated in cancer and contribute to its heterogeneity. A better understanding of the interplay between genetic and epigenetic events will shed light on the molecular mechanisms underlying cancer initiation and progression, and may help identify new therapeutic