title: Review of MicroRNA Proposed Target Genes in Oral Cancer. Part II.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cancer is the product of alterations in oncogenes, tumour suppressor genes and most recently microRNA genes not as a single event or single change but rather as a multistep process. The role of microRNA genes in carcinogenesis is recently explored and appears to be an early event in the pathogenesis of this as well as other disease processes and occurs via gene regulation by their own products, the microRNAs. The purpose of this article was to review the literature concerning MicroRNA proposed target genes in oral cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  A review of the available literature from 2000 to 2011 regarding the potential roles assumed by microRNAs in oral cancer was undertaken using PubMed, Medline, Scholar Google and Scopus. Keywords for the search were: microRNA and oral cancer and target genes, microRNA deregulation and oral cancer, microRNA and carcinogenesis in the head and neck/oral cavity. English language full length articles were reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Several microRNAs deregulated in oral cancer have been functionally validated and their exact target genes have been identified. Furthermore the carcinogenesis pathways impacted by these alterations has been proposed for some of these microRNAs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The expanding knowledge of specific roles of certain microRNAs is further contributing to our understanding of the complexity of tumour progression and behaviour. Consideration of this information and incorporation into treatment modalities through targeted therapy could potentially enhance our abilities to improve outcome especially when other established therapies have failed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Illinois at Chicago USA. ; Center of Molecular Biology and Oral Diseases, College of Dentistry, University of Illinois at Chicago USA. ; Cancer Center, University of Illinois at Chicago USA.
authors.forename: Antonia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kolokythas
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Illinois at Chicago USA.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miloro
authors.affiliation: Center of Molecular Biology and Oral Diseases, College of Dentistry, University of Illinois at Chicago USA. ; Department of Periodontics, College of Dentistry, University of Illinois at Chicago USA.
authors.forename: Xiaofeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhou
keywords: carcinogenesis tests.; gene targeting; head and neck cancer; microRNA; oral cancer