[MicroRNAs and cancer].

Abstract

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are group of noncoding RNAs that have been shown to regulate posttranscriptional gene expression. They have been under intense investigation since their association with cancer a decade ago. Genome wide detection methods have been developed to identify miRNA profiles in variety of biological systems and to confirm their involvement in different physiological and pathological processes. MiRNA implication in cancer pathology (tumor development, progression and response to therapy), perhaps the most widely studied miRNA topic, make them potential diagnostic, prognostic and predictive biomarkers. Currently, researchers are exploiting the possibilities of miRNA-based anti-cancer therapies and in the near future such therapies alone or in combination with other treatment modalities might be a reality.