MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNA molecules, which in recent years have emerged to have enormous potential as biomarkers. Recently, there have been significant developments in understanding miRNA biogenesis, their regulatory mechanisms and role in disease process, and their potential as effective therapies. The identification of miRNAs as biomarkers provides possibilities for development of less or non-invasive and more specific methods for monitoring tumor growth and progression. This review summarizes the recent developments in methods to detect and quantitate miRNAs in body fluids and their applications as biomarkers in cancers. The prospect of miRNAs as potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers with clinical applications is significant as more evidence points to their central role in cancer pathobiology.
Keywords: cancer; diagnostic and prognostic markers; microRNA; serum biomarkers.