MicroRNAs and Pancreatic Cancer: Current Research and Future Outlooks

Wei      Li; Kei      Satoh; Drake      G. LeBrun; Min      Li

Abstract

There is a critical need for the development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), a devastating disease known for its poor prognosis due to its late presentation and high aggressiveness. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of short non-coding RNAs that have been implicated in the gene regulation in normal cellular processes as well as cancer pathogenesis. Patterns of miRNA upregulation and downregulation have been found to be unique to specific cancers, including PDAC. MiRNA expression profiling may serve as a new strategy for the diagnosis and prognosis of PDAC cases. In addition, the role of miRNAs in important cellular processes such as cell development, survival, and proliferation may also be utilized for novel therapeutic approaches. This article presents current progress on the role of miRNAs as a biomarker and therapeutic target for PDAC.

Keywords: MicroRNA, pancreatic adenocarcinoma, prognosis, pathogenesis, oncogenic, ultrasound, formalin, metastasis, intratumoral, 2’-Omethoxethyl