MicroRNAs in gastrointestinal cancer: prognostic significance and potential role in chemoresistance.
BACKGROUND
Although chemotherapy is an important therapeutic strategy for gastrointestinal cancer, its clinical effect remains unsatisfied due to drug resistance. Drug resistance is a complex multistep process resulting from deregulated expression of many molecules, including tumor suppressor genes, oncogenes and microRNAs (miRNAs). A better understanding of drug resistance-related miRNAs may eventually lead to optimized therapeutic strategies for cancer patients.


METHODS
This review summarizes the recent advances of drug resistance-related miRNAs in esophageal, gastric and colorectal cancer. Furthermore, this study envisages future developments toward the clinical applications of these miRNAs to cancer therapy.


CONCLUSIONS
Drug resistance-related miRNAs may be potentially predicting biomarkers that help guide individualized chemotherapy. Specific miRNAs and their target genes can be used as therapeutic targets by reversing drug resistance. More investigations should be performed to promote the translational bridging of the latest research into clinical application.
Fourth Military Medical University, Xijing Hospital, Xijing Hospital of Digestive Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology , Xi'an, 710032, Shaanxi Province , China +86 29 84773974 ; +86 29 82539041 ; hlhyhj@126.com.
Liu
L
Hong
Yu
Y
Han
Jianjun
J
Yang
Hongwei
H
Zhang
Qingchuan
Q
Zhao
Kaichun
K
Wu
Daiming
D
Fan
D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics*; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics*; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics*; D009857:Oncogenes / Q000502:physiology; D011379:Prognosis
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D035683:MicroRNAs; D002945:Cisplatin; D005472:Fluorouracil
colon cancer; drug resistance; esophageal cancer; gastric cancer; microRNA; rectal cancer