miRNA as biomarker in lung cancer

Lung cancer has a high prevalence and mortality due to its late diagnosis and limited treatment, so it is essential to find biomarkers that allow a faster diagnosis and improve the survival of these patients. In this sense, biomarkers based on miRNAs have supposed a considerable advance. miRNAs, which are small RNA sequences, can regulate gene expression, so they play an essential role not only as a diagnostic biomarker but also as a therapeutic and prognostic one. Also, miRNA biomarkers can be obtained from liquid biopsies, which are less intrusive than lung biopsies, and have better accessibility, safety and repeatability, which allows using those biomarkers both for diagnosis and monitoring of patients. In this review, we highlight the importance of miRNAs and collect the existing evidence of their relationship with lung cancer.

Automated summary

Lung cancer, with its late diagnosis and limited treatment, is a disease with high prevalence and mortality. Finding biomarkers that allow a faster diagnosis and improve the survival of patients is essential. miRNAs, small RNA sequences, have shown considerable advancements as diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic biomarkers. Obtaining miRNA biomarkers from liquid biopsies provides better accessibility, safety, and repeatability for both diagnosis and monitoring of patients.