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Nucleic acid therapy: Emerging therapeutic strategies and challenges in esophageal cancer

Ye Yuan1, Ke Ma1, Yiming Yang1

  • 1School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, 453000, China.

Experimental Cell Research
|February 21, 2026
PubMed

Insights

This review explores nucleic acid therapies, including small interfering RNA (siRNA) and microRNA (miRNA), for esophageal cancer (EC). These therapies show promise for early detection and targeted treatment, but delivery challenges remain.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Biotechnology

Background:

  • Esophageal cancer (EC) is a significant global health challenge requiring improved diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.
  • Early detection and intervention are crucial for enhancing patient survival rates in EC.
  • Non-coding RNAs, such as siRNA, miRNA, lncRNA, and circRNA, play critical roles in EC pathogenesis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the mechanisms and functional roles of various non-coding RNAs in esophageal cancer.
  • To highlight the potential of nucleic acid therapy for EC diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment.
  • To discuss the integration of liquid biopsy with nucleic acid-based approaches for EC management.

Main Methods:

  • Comprehensive literature review of non-coding RNAs (siRNA, miRNA, lncRNA, circRNA) in esophageal cancer.
  • Analysis of current applications and future potential of nucleic acid therapy for EC.
  • Evaluation of liquid biopsy technology in conjunction with nucleic acid therapies for EC.

Main Results:

  • Nucleic acid therapies offer promising avenues for early EC monitoring, targeted treatment, and prognostic assessment.
  • Liquid biopsy enhances diagnostic accuracy for early EC detection and real-time therapy response monitoring.
  • Significant challenges persist, including delivery efficiency, off-target effects, and tumor microenvironment complexity.

Conclusions:

  • Nucleic acid therapy holds substantial promise for advancing esophageal cancer care.
  • Overcoming current limitations in delivery and targeting is essential for clinical translation.
  • Future research should focus on optimizing delivery systems and enhancing therapeutic precision for EC.
Keywords:
DiagnosisEsophageal cancerNucleic acid therapyTreatment

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