Circular RNAs Emerge as Cancer Biomarkers Detectable in Liquid Biopsy
This review catalogued the roles of circular RNAs in cancer development and their potential as diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive biomarkers. CircRNAs show tissue-restricted and cancer-specific expression patterns and are detectable in plasma, saliva, and urine, making them attractive liquid biopsy analytes. Technical challenges in circRNA detection and quantification remain key barriers to clinical translation.
The original study
The emerging roles of circRNAs in cancer and oncology.
- Authors
- Kristensen LS, Jakobsen T, Hager H, Kjems J
- Journal
- Nature reviews. Clinical oncology
- Type
- Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Review
- PMID
- 34912049
Original abstract
Over the past decade, circular RNAs (circRNAs) have emerged as a large class of primarily non-coding RNA molecules, many of which have key roles in cancer development and progression through diverse mechanisms of action. CircRNAs often have tissue-restricted and cancer-specific expression patterns, and accumulating data suggest that these molecules are of potential clinical relevance and utility. In particular, circRNAs have strong potential as diagnostic, prognostic and predictive biomarkers, which is underscored by their detectability in liquid biopsy samples such as in plasma, saliva and urine. However, technical issues in the detection and assessment of circRNAs as well as biological knowledge gaps need to be addressed to move this relatively young field of research forward and bring circRNAs to the forefront of clinical practice. Herein, we review the current knowledge regarding circRNA biogenesis, regulation and functions in cancer as well as their clinical potential as biomarkers, therapeutic agents and drug targets.