Affiliations: Faculty of Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan, China
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Zhi-Zhou Shi, Faculty of Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, No. 727, Jingming South Road, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China. Tel.: +86 871 65920761; E-mail:zhizhoushi@126.com
Abstract: Esophageal cancer is a common cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide.
Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the major histological type of esophageal
cancer in developing countries including China, and the prognosis is very
poor. Many microRNAs are involved in several important biological and
pathologic processes, and promote tumorigenesis. To better understand the
prognostic and therapeutic roles of microRNAs in ESCC, we reviewed the
diagnosis and prognosis associated oncogenic microRNAs (e.g. miR-21 and
miR-17-92 cluster) and tumor suppressor microRNAs (e.g. miR-375, miR-133a
and miR-133b), and diagnosis and prognosis associated oncogenic target genes
(e.g. PDCD4 and CCND1) and tumor suppressor target genes (e.g. EZH2 and
PDK1). We also summarized the prognostic microRNA and target gene pairs
(e.g. miR-296 and CCND1, miR214 and EZH2). Taken together, our review
highlights the opportunities and challenges for microRNAs in the molecular
diagnosis and target therapy of ESCC.
