The emerging role of m⁶A modification of non-coding RNA in gastrointestinal cancers: a comprehensive review

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancer is a series of malignant tumors with a high incidence globally. Although approaches for tumor diagnosis and therapy have advanced substantially, the mechanisms underlying the occurrence and progression of GI cancer are still unclear. Increasing evidence supports an important role for N⁶-methyladenosine (m⁶A) modification in many biological processes, including cancer-related processes via splicing, export, degradation, and translation of mRNAs. Under distinct cancer contexts, m⁶A regulators have different expression patterns and can regulate or be regulated by mRNAs and non-coding RNAs, especially long non-coding RNAs. The roles of m⁶A in cancer development have attracted increasing attention in epigenetics research. In this review, we synthesize progress in our understanding of m⁶A and its roles in GI cancer, especially esophageal, gastric, and colorectal cancers. Furthermore, we clarify the mechanism by which m⁶A contributes to GI cancer, providing a basis for the development of diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic targets.