The emerging role of long non-coding RNAs in endometrial cancer

The human genome is pervasively transcribed and approximately 98% of the genome is non coding. Long non-coding RNAs (IncRNAs) are a heterogeneous group of RNA transcripts that are >200 nucleotides in length with minimal to no protein-coding potential. Similar to proteins, IncRNAs have important biological functions in both normal cells and disease states including many types of cancer. This review summarizes recent advances in our understanding of IncRNAs in cancer biology and highlights the potential for IncRNA as diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutics. Herein we focus on the poorly understood role of IncRNAs in endometrial cancer, the most common gynecologic malignancy in the developed world.