Site Editor
Soo Park, MD
Soo Park, MD
Posted: Friday, January 28, 2022
Cristian Dinu, MD, DMD, PhD, of the Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania, and colleagues aimed to explore the role of different microRNA (mRNA) in the most common types of non-melanoma skin cancer regarding evolution, oncogenesis, and therapy. This study found that almost 100 miRNAs may be easily identified in circulation, are able to be upregulated or downregulated to influence oncogenesis, and may act as prognostic or therapeutic markers. These results were published in Genes (Basel).
“Even if immunotherapy has revolutionized the therapeutic approach of advanced non-melanoma skin cancer, a high percent of the patients do not respond to this therapy, and their prognosis is severe, with a very low survival rate,” the study authors mentioned. “Using miRNAs could allow for individualized treatments and better responses to chemotherapy and immunotherapy.”
The most relevant and accurate available data from the acquired literature regarding miRNA mechanisms in oncogenesis, tumor progression, and therapy response in non-melanoma skin cancer were collected. The most common type of non-melanoma skin cancer identified was basal cell carcinoma, but metastases occur more frequently with squamous cell carcinoma and Merkel cell carcinoma.
The literature identified numerous types of miRNA that correlated with malignancy, as well as the fluctuation between infiltrative and nodular basal cell carcinomas. Specific types of miRNA, such as miRNA-203, miR197-5p, miRNA-34a, and miRNA-146, were established as potential therapeutic targets because of their association with various pathways, mechanisms, metastasis, and prognosis in basal cell carcinoma.
Furthermore, miRNAs that were upregulated or downregulated in squamous cell and Merkel cell carcinomas appeared to play a role in their pathologic evolution. In squamous cell carcinoma, multiple types of miRNAs appeared to be associated with ultraviolet A exposure, malignancy, carcinogenesis, and tumor progression. In Merkel cell carcinoma, miRNA was observed to correlate with the polyomavirus-positive subtype, as well as carcinogenesis. Together, these findings may aid in the early detection and improved personalized treatment of non-melanoma skin cancers.
Disclosure: The study authors reported no conflicts of interest.
JNCCN Spotlights
