UCSF

Long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs) are mRNA-like molecules that do not encode for proteins and that are longer than 200 nucleotides. LncRNAs play important biological roles in normal cell physiology and organism development. Therefore, deregulation of their activities is involved in disease processes such as cancer. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths due to late stage at diagnosis, distant metastasis, and high rates of therapeutic failure. LncRNAs are emerging as important molecules in lung cancer for their oncogenic or tumor suppressive functions. LncRNAs are highly stable in circulation, presenting an opportunity for use as non-invasive and early-stage cancer diagnostic tools. Here, we summarize latest works providing in vivo evidence available for LncRNAs role in cancer development, therapy-induced resistance, and their potential as biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis, with a focus on lung cancer. Additionally, we discuss current therapeutic approaches to target LncRNAs. The evidence discussed here strongly suggests that investigation of LncRNAs in lung cancer in addition to protein-coding genes will provide a holistic view of molecular mechanisms of cancer initiation, development, and progression, and could open a new avenue for cancer treatment.