Distinct Methylation Patterns of Benign and Malignant Liver Tumors Revealed by Quantitative Methylation Profiling

Abstract

Methylation profiling can clearly contribute to the unequivocal classification of suspicious lesions, but only if done in a quantitative manner applying cell type and gene-specific thresholds. In hepatocellular carcinoma, the altered methylation patterns accompanying malignant transformation override the age-dependent increase in gene methylation.