Beyond Junk DNA: Emerging Roles of Non-Coding RNAs in Cancer and Therapeutic Innovation

Abstract

Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are the biggest class of regulatory molecules in the human genome, which constitute ~98% of total transcripts, and were once considered as “transcriptional noise”. This review will focus on the newly identified functions of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) in cancer biology and therapeutic innovations. We review the existing knowledge on microRNAs, long non-coding RNAs, and circular RNAs in the context of their different experimental and computational studies, and we highlight their mechanisms of action in cancer hallmarks such as proliferation and resistance to apoptosis, metastasis, and metabolic reprogramming. We evaluate the translational landscape of ncRNA-based therapeutics by examining clinical trials in progress and completed, delivery methods, and emerging technologies. This review aims to separate fact from fiction and offer a balanced view on the facts, which will help guide future research and clinical development in the field of ncRNA oncology.