Systems Biology and Integrative Omics Decoding Xenobiotic Metabolism in Environmental Carcinogenesis

Abstract

This chapter explores how xenobiotics contribute to cancer development through interactions with DNA and disruption of metabolic processes. It highlights the role of drug-metabolizing enzymes in cancer risk. The chapter emphasizes the importance of an integrated approach, combining genetic, environmental, and metabolic factors for cancer prevention. The emerging field of cancer exposomics is discussed, with a focus on how environmental exposures, such as pollution and diet, alter molecular pathways involved in inflammation, oxidative stress, and cancer cell proliferation. The role of the gut microbiome in metabolizing xenobiotics is explored, as well as the potential for therapies like probiotics, prebiotics, and fecal microbiota transplantation to reduce cancer risk. Additionally, epigenetic changes are examined in the context of cancer susceptibility and detoxification. The chapter concludes with a discussion of how systems biology, omics technologies, and epigenetics offer new opportunities for personalized cancer prevention and treatment strategies.