title: Role of non-coding RNAs in pancreatic cancer: the bane of the microworld.
abstract: Our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the development of pancreatic cancer has been greatly advanced. However, the molecular events involved in the initiation and development of pancreatic cancer remain inscrutable. None of the present medical technologies have been proven to be effective in significantly improving early detection or reducing the mortality/morbidity of this disease. Thus, a better understanding of the molecular basis of pancreatic cancer is required for the identification of more effective diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), generally including microRNAs and long non-coding RNAs, have recently been found to be deregulated in many human cancers, which provides new opportunities for identifying both functional drivers and specific biomarkers of pancreatic cancer. In this article, we review the existing literature in the field documenting the significance of aberrantly expressed and functional ncRNAs in human pancreatic cancer, and discuss how oncogenic ncRNAs may be involved in the genetic and epigenetic networks regulating functional pathways that are deregulated in this malignancy, particularly of the ncRNAs' role in drug resistance and epithelial-mesenchymal transition biological phenotype, with the aim of analyzing the feasibility of clinical application of ncRNAs in the diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic cancer.
authors: Yi-Ting Tang, Han Cao, Wei Zhu, Shu-Yu Zhang, Jian-Ping Cao, School of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection and Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors: Yi-Ting
authors: YT
authors: Tang
authors: Yi-Ting Tang, Han Cao, Wei Zhu, Shu-Yu Zhang, Jian-Ping Cao, School of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection and Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors: Xiao-Hui
authors: XH
authors: Xu
authors: Yi-Ting Tang, Han Cao, Wei Zhu, Shu-Yu Zhang, Jian-Ping Cao, School of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection and Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors: Xiao-Dong
authors: XD
authors: Yang
authors: Yi-Ting Tang, Han Cao, Wei Zhu, Shu-Yu Zhang, Jian-Ping Cao, School of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection and Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors: Jun
authors: J
authors: Hao
authors: Yi-Ting Tang, Han Cao, Wei Zhu, Shu-Yu Zhang, Jian-Ping Cao, School of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection and Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors: Han
authors: H
authors: Cao
authors: Yi-Ting Tang, Han Cao, Wei Zhu, Shu-Yu Zhang, Jian-Ping Cao, School of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection and Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors: Wei
authors: W
authors: Zhu
authors: Yi-Ting Tang, Han Cao, Wei Zhu, Shu-Yu Zhang, Jian-Ping Cao, School of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection and Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors: Shu-Yu
authors: SY
authors: Zhang
authors: Yi-Ting Tang, Han Cao, Wei Zhu, Shu-Yu Zhang, Jian-Ping Cao, School of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Protection and Collaborative Innovation Center of Radiation Medicine of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors: Jian-Ping
authors: JP
authors: Cao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D021441:Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D005820:Genetic Testing; D015316:Genetic Therapy; D006801:Humans; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D022661:RNA, Untranslated / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D059016:Tumor Microenvironment
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D022661:RNA, Untranslated
keywords: Diagnosis; Long non-coding RNAs; MicroRNAs; Pancreatic cancer; Treatment