Emerging roles of non-coding RNAs in gastric cancer: Pathogenesis and clinical implications

Gastric cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths. However, the mechanisms underlying gastric carcinogenesis remain largely unclear. The association of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) with cancer has been widely studied during the past decade. In general, ncRNAs have been classified as small ncRNAs, including microRNAs (miRNAs), and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). Emerging evidence shows that miRNAs and lncRNAs play key roles in the formation and progression of many cancers. In this review, we focus on the regulation of miRNAs and lncRNAs in gastric cancer. miRNAs and lncRNAs appear to be involved in gastric tumor growth, invasion, and metastasis and in establishment of the gastric tumor microenvironment through various mechanisms. Furthermore, we also discuss the possibilities of establishing miRNAs and lncRNAs as potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for gastric cancer. Taken together, we summarize the emerging roles of ncRNAs in gastric cancer development and their possible clinical significance.