Cancer quiescence: non-coding RNAs in the spotlight

Trends Mol Med. 2023 Oct;29(10):843-858. doi: 10.1016/j.molmed.2023.07.003. Epub 2023 Jul 27.

Abstract

Cancer quiescence reflects the ability of cancer cells to enter a reversible slow-cycling or mitotically dormant state and represents a powerful self-protecting mechanism preventing cancer cell 'damage' from hypoxic conditions, nutrient deprivation, immune surveillance, and (chemo)therapy. When stress conditions are restrained, and tumor microenvironment becomes beneficial, quiescent cancer cells re-enter cell cycle to facilitate tumor spread and cancer progression/metastasis. Recent studies have highlighted the dynamic role of regulatory non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) in orchestrating cancer quiescence. The elucidation of regulatory ncRNA networks will shed light on the quiescence-proliferation equilibrium and, ultimately, pave the way for new treatment options. Herein, we have summarized the ever-growing role of ncRNAs upon cancer quiescence regulation and their impact on treatment resistance and modern cancer therapeutics.

Keywords: cancer dormancy; cancer quiescence; chemoresistance; long non-coding RNAs; miRNAs; tumor microenvironment.

Publication types

  • Review
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cell Division
  • Humans
  • Neoplasms* / genetics
  • Neoplasms* / pathology
  • Neoplasms* / therapy
  • RNA, Long Noncoding* / genetics
  • RNA, Untranslated / genetics
  • Tumor Microenvironment / genetics

Substances

  • RNA, Untranslated
  • RNA, Long Noncoding