In past decades,
cancer research has focused on genetic alterations that are detected in malignant tissues and contribute to the initiation and progression of
cancer. These changes include mutations, copy number variations, and translocations. However, it is becoming increasingly clear that epigenetic changes, including alternative splicing, play a major role in
cancer development and progression. There are relatively few studies on the contribution of alternative splicing and the
splicing factors that regulate this process to
cancer development and progression. Recently, multiple studies have revealed altered splicing patterns in
cancers and several
splicing factors were found to contribute to
tumor development. Studies using high-throughput genomic analysis have identified mutations in components of the core splicing machinery and in
splicing factors in several
cancers. In this review, we will highlight new findings on the role of alternative splicing and its regulators in
cancer initiation and progression, in addition to novel approaches to correct oncogenic splicing.