title: The role of microRNAs in cancer: diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers and targets of therapies.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  miRNAs are noncoding RNAs that target specific mRNA with subsequent regulation of particular genes, implicated in various biological processes. In cancer, miRNAs could show a different expression from normal tissues. miRNAs have a role as oncogenes when they target tumor suppressor genes and similarly they are tumor suppressors when they target oncogenes.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this review, areas covered include the role of miRNAs in cancer diagnosis, prognosis and research for achievement of therapeutic strategies implicating miRNAs in oncology. As biogenesis of miRNAs is fundamental to understand their usefulness, this has also been discussed. Both miRNA expression profiles in cancer tissues and miRNA levels in peripheral blood were studied for improvement in the management of cancer patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  miRNAs have the potential for better understanding of tumor biology, but could also provide clinical advancement in management and therapy of various malignancies. The possibility of miRNA detection in peripheral blood would allow an eager expansion of their application in various clinical settings for cancer. The applicability of miRNA expression profiles still needs to be defined.
authors.affiliation: University of Palermo, Section of Medical Oncology, Department of Surgical and Oncological Sciences, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Lidia Rita
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Corsini
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bronte
authors.forename: Marianna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Terrasi
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Amodeo
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fanale
authors.forename: Eugenio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fiorentino
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cicero
authors.forename: Viviana
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bazan
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Russo
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D035683:MicroRNAs