title: MicroRNAs as potential biomarkers in cancer: opportunities and challenges.
abstract: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a group of small noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) that posttranscriptionally regulate gene expression by targeting their corresponding messenger RNAs (mRNAs). Dysregulated miRNAs have been considered as a new type of ''oncomiRs" or ''tumor suppressors," playing essential roles in cancer initiation and progression. Using genome-wide detection methods, ubiquitously aberrant expression profiles of miRNAs have been identified in a broad array of human cancers, showing great potential as novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers of cancer with high specificity and sensitivity. The detectable miRNAs in tissue, blood, and other body fluids with high stability provide an abundant source for miRNA-based biomarkers in human cancers. Despite the fact that an increasing number of potential miRNA biomarkers have been reported, the transition of miRNAs-based biomarkers from bench to bedside still necessitates addressing several challenges. In this review, we will summarize our current understanding of miRNAs as potential biomarkers in human cancers.
authors: Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Institute of Clinical Science, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310020, China.
authors: Huiyin
authors: 0000-0002-7925-0066
authors: H
authors: Lan
authors: Department of Medical Oncology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310020, China.
authors: Haiqi
authors: H
authors: Lu
authors: Department of Medical Oncology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310020, China.
authors: Xian
authors: X
authors: Wang
authors: Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Institute of Clinical Science, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310020, China.
authors: Hongchuan
authors: 0000-0002-6697-3097
authors: H
authors: Jin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D035683:MicroRNAs; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm