MicroRNAs as lung cancer biomarkers and key players in lung carcinogenesis

Abstract

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide and few genetic markers enable to evaluate lung cancer risk. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression during various cell processes such as apoptosis, differentiation and development. In these last years, many works confirm a role for miRNAs in the initiation and progression of lung cancer. miRNA profiling has the potential to classify tumors with high accuracy and predict outcome. Here, we describe the roles of miRNA in lung carcinogenesis and the possibility to use them as biological markers for diagnostic, prognostic and predictive purposes.