Computational identification and validation of non-coding rna biomarkers in gastrointestinal cancer

Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are showing great potential as clinical indicators and are becoming essential regulators in gastrointestinal (GI) cancers. The computational discovery and subsequent confirmation of specific ncRNAs, such as long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs), in the pathophysiology of GI cancer (GIC) is the primary focus of this study. We reviewed a rigorous, multi-step validation workflow that includes RNA sequencing and bioinformatic analysis for initial discovery, quantitative PCR for confirmation in tissue and liquid biopsies, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and survival analyses for evaluating clinical usefulness. We highlight, as a specific result, that a panel of lncRNAs (e.g., H19, NEAT1, OIP5-AS, MALAT1) and miRNAs (e.g., miR-21, miR-92a) have been consistently validated with excellent diagnostic accuracy and are strongly associated with poor overall survival. According to our findings, these computationally generated ncRNA signatures are practical tools for GIC prognosis and early diagnosis, opening the door for their incorporation into personalized oncology.