![Sample our Bioscience journals, sign in here to start your access, Latest two full volumes FREE to you for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/5925/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Bioscience.jpg"})
ABSTRACT
Colorectal cancer (CRC) and gastric cancer (GC), are the two most common cancers of the gastrointestinal tract, and are serious health concerns worldwide. The discovery of more effective biomarkers for early diagnosis, and improved patient prognosis is important. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), including microRNAs (miRNAs) and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), can regulate cellular processes such as apoptosis and the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) leading to progression and resistance of GC and CRC tumors. Moreover these pathways (apoptosis and EMT) may serve as therapeutic targets, to prevent metastasis, and to overcome drug resistance. A subgroup of ncRNAs is common to both GC and CRC tumors, suggesting that they might be used as biomarkers or therapeutic targets. In this review, we highlight some ncRNAs that can regulate EMT and apoptosis as two opposite mechanisms in cancer progression and metastasis in GC and CRC. A better understanding of the biological role of ncRNAs could open up new avenues for the development of personalized treatment plans for GC and CRC patients.
GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank all of those whose fruitful research has contributed in any way to the elucidation of lncRNAs and their activity in cancers.
Authors’ contributions
NE & AH designed the review paper and wrote the manuscript, FB, and SS, and MSM contributed to writing the manuscript and preparing figures, RK, KF, and FRT contributed to revision, MRH, and ARA reviewed and revised the final version of the manuscript and supervised the study.
Availability of data and material
Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no datasets were generated or analyzed during the current study.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.