Cancer-associated RNA

Cancer-associated RNA refers to a broad category of ribonucleic acid molecules, including messenger RNA (mRNA), long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), microRNA (miRNA), and circular RNA (circRNA), that are dysregulated in malignant cells [1, 25]. These molecules serve as critical regulators of the cancer hallmarks, influencing processes such as cell proliferation, apoptosis evasion, and metastasis through transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms [3, 30]. For example, oncogenic lncRNAs like MALAT1 and miRNAs like miR-21 are frequently overexpressed to promote tumor growth, while tumor-suppressive RNAs like miR-34 are often lost [16, 29]. Therapeutic strategies targeting these RNAs include antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), and emerging small-molecule degraders known as RIBOTACs, which aim to modulate RNA levels or functions [1, 2, 20]. While providing a vast reservoir of potential targets, the clinical application of RNA-targeted therapies faces challenges such as precise delivery to tumor tissues, stability in the systemic circulation, and the potential for off-target immune activation [23, 30].

Other names

Tumor-associated RNACancer-related RNAOncogenic RNATumor-suppressive RNACancer-associated transcript (CAT)Cancer-associated long non-coding RNA

Antisense inhibition, RNA interference (RNAi), miRNA mimicry, miRNA antagonism (antagomirs), Ribonuclease-mediated degradation (RIBOTAC)