A review of expression profiling of circulating microRNAs in men with prostate cancer

Abstract

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that are involved in gene regulation and expression. These molecules have been implicated in the pathogenesis of several malignancies. MiRNAs have the potential to be both a tissue- and blood-based biomarker for cancer diagnosis, classification, prognosis and response to treatment. The levels of dysregulated miRNAs in the circulation of individuals make miRNAs an ideal biomarker for the detection of prostate cancer. The present study provides a comprehensive review of the expression profiling of miRNAs in the circulation of men with prostate cancer. Further research is necessary to identify if circulating miRNAs have the potential to be a biomarker for prostate cancer in clinical practice.