The functional role of exosome microRNAs in lung cancer

Lung cancer causes the highest incidence and mortality rates of cancer disease worldwide. Despite obvious advances in lung cancer research, a better understanding of the disease is urgently needed to improve early detection and correct diagnoses. Exosomes are released from cancer cells and modulate cell-cell communication. Exosomes transfer a wide variety of molecules including microRNAs. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are single-stranded, small noncoding RNAs that regulate gene expression. Accumulating evidence indicates that miRNA expression patterns represent the status of physiology and disease. The focus of this review is to provide an update on the progress of miRNAs of cancer-derived exosome as potential biomarkers for lung cancer.