Roles of noncoding RNAs in metastasis of nonsmall cell lung cancer: A mini review

Recent advances in genome-wide sequencing and gene expression profiling technologies has facilitated the discovery of a huge amount of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) transcripts. In general, these lncRNAs have been reported to participate in multiple biological processes and human diseases through transcriptional, posttranscriptional and epigenetic pathway. Furthermore, emerging evidence has suggested that dysregulation of lncRNA contributes to the development and progression of human malignancies, notably lung cancer, which is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death. In this review, we will summarize the functions of lncRNAs from recent reports in human nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) research, especially in the metastasis of NSCLC, and highlight the future opportunities and challenges in diagnostics and therapy of NSCLC patients.