The role of RNA modification in urological cancers: mechanisms and clinical potential

RNA modification is a post-transcriptional level of regulation that is widely distributed in all types of RNAs, including mRNA, tRNA, rRNA, miRNA, and lncRNA, where N6-methyladenine (m⁶A) is the most abundant mRNA methylation modification. Significant evidence has depicted that m⁶A modifications are closely related to human diseases, especially cancer, and play pivotal roles in RNA transcription, splicing, stabilization, and translation processes. The most common urological cancers include prostate, bladder, kidney, and testicular cancers, accounting for a certain proportion of human cancers, with an ever-increasing incidence and mortality. The recurrence, systemic metastasis, poor prognosis, and drug resistance of urologic tumors have prompted the identification of new therapeutic targets and mechanisms. Research on m⁶A modifications may provide new solutions to the current puzzles. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the key roles played by RNA modifications, especially m⁶A modifications, in urologic cancers, as well as recent research advances in diagnostics and molecularly targeted therapies.