The Role of Noncoding RNAs in the Prognosis and Diagnosis of Colorectal Cancer: An Emerging Biomarker

Colorectal cancer has become the leading cause of death worldwide, and it is the second most common cancer in women and the third most common cancer in men. Accumulating evidence suggests that genetic and epigenetic factors play a key role in the development of colorectal cancer. Cancer Stem Cells (CSC) play an important role in the suppression or development of cancer in various conditions. In recent years, non-coding RNAs (ncRNA) have been the focus, and the association of CSC and non-coding RNA has played a crucial role in the development of human cancers. These non-coding RNAs are known to be expressed in many cancers. Studies have suggested that ncRNAs are dysregulated in colorectal cancer cells, and different factors, like Wnt and Notch, are involved in this dysregulation. ncRNAs play a significant role in cancer initiation, migration, and resistance to therapies. Moreover, long noncoding RNAs are known to regulate tumor suppressor genes or oncogenes. Targeting different ncRNAs like miRNA, circular RNA, long noncoding RNAs, and small interfering RNA may provide efficient, targeted therapeutic strategies for colon cancer treatment. This review aims to briefly discuss the latest findings on the role of noncoding RNAs in the prognosis and diagnosis of colon cancer.