D.P. Bartel

MicroRNAs (miRNAs), a class of short (18-23 nucleotides) non-coding RNAs, are implicated in the post-transcriptional repression of messenger RNAs (Ling et al., 2013; Bartel et al., 2004). Recently, miRNAs have been identified to interact with a variety of cancer-related proteins and promote cell proliferation and differentiation. Hence, they are regarded as the ideal noninvasive biomarker candidates for early diagnosis and monitoring of cancer (Ambros et al., 2004; Kosaka et al., 2010).

MicroRNAs (miRNAs), a class of endogenous non-coding ribonucleic acids ranging from 18 to 25 nucleotides, are widely involved in a variety of important biological processes, such as cell differentiation, proliferation and apoptosis [1], [2], [3]. Extensive evidence has established miRNAs as promising biomarkers due to their association with cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and evaluation of treatment response [4], [5].

Cancer, which is the second leading cause of death globally, brings tremendous burden on healthcare industry. As is well-known, early diagnosis of cancer can greatly improve the survival rate and alleviate the suffering of patients, as well as the cost of treatments [1], [2].