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World J Gastroenterol. Aug 28, 2014; 20(32): 11199-11209
Published online Aug 28, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i32.11199
MicroRNAs as emerging biomarkers and therapeutic targets for pancreatic cancer
Marion Gayral, Sébastien Jo, Naima Hanoun, Alix Vignolle-Vidoni, Hubert Lulka, Yannick Delpu, Aline Meulle, Marlène Dufresne, Marine Humeau, Maël Chalret du Rieu, Barbara Bournet, Janick Sèlves, Rosine Guimbaud, Nicolas Carrère, Louis Buscail, Jérôme Torrisani, Pierre Cordelier
Marion Gayral, Sébastien Jo, Naima Hanoun, Alix Vignolle-Vidoni, Hubert Lulka, Yannick Delpu, Aline Meulle, Marlène Dufresne, Marine Humeau, Maël Chalret du Rieu, Barbara Bournet, Janick Sèlves, Rosine Guimbaud, Nicolas Carrère, Louis Buscail, Jérôme Torrisani, Pierre Cordelier, Cancer Research Center of Toulouse Team 10, UMR INSERM U1037, Université Paul Sabatier, 31100 Toulouse, France
Alix Vignolle-Vidoni, Marine Humeau, Maël Chalret du Rieu, Barbara Bournet, Janick Sèlves, Rosine Guimbaud, Nicolas Carrère, Louis Buscail, Pôle Digestif, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Toulouse, 31100 Toulouse, France
Author contributions: Gayral M, Jo S, Hanoun N, Vignolle-Vidoni A, Lulka H, Delpu Y, Meulle A, Dufresne M, Humeau M, Chalret du Rieu M, Bournet B, Sèlves J, Guimbaud R, Carrère N, Buscail L, Torrisani J and Cordelier P contributed to the bibliographical review; Gayral M, Torrisani J and Cordelier P wrote the paper.
Correspondence to: Pierre Cordelier, PhD, Cancer Research Center of Toulouse Team 10, UMR INSERM U1037, Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse Oncopole 1, Avenue Joliot Curie, 31100 Toulouse, France. pierre.cordelier@inserm.fr
Telephone: +33-5-61322404 Fax: +33-5-61322403
Received: October 24, 2013
Revised: March 6, 2014
Accepted: June 13, 2014
Published online: August 28, 2014
Abstract

Despite tremendous efforts from scientists and clinicians worldwide, pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains a deadly disease due to the lack of early diagnostic tools and reliable therapeutic approaches. Consequently, a majority of patients (80%) display an advanced disease that results in a low resection rate leading to an overall median survival of less than 6 months. Accordingly, robust markers for the early diagnosis and prognosis of pancreatic cancer, or markers indicative of survival and/or metastatic disease are desperately needed to help alleviate the dismal prognosis of this cancer. In addition, the discovery of new therapeutic targets is mandatory to design effective treatments. In this review, we will highlight the translational studies demonstrating that microRNAs may soon translate into clinical applications as long-awaited screening tools and therapeutic targets for PDAC.

Keywords: MicroRNAs, Biomarkers, Pancreatic cancer, Therapeutic targets, Precancerous lesions

Core tip: Robust biomarkers and reliable treatments are needed to help alleviate the dismal prognosis of pancreatic cancer. In this review, we will highlight the translational studies demonstrating that microRNAs may soon translate into clinical applications as long-awaited screening tools and therapeutic targets for this cancer.