Circulating miRNAs in genitourinary cancer: pioneering advances in early detection and diagnosis

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are noncoding, single-stranded RNAs molecules modulating gene expression thanks to their ability to bind mRNAs. Indeed, they regulate key processes for the proper functioning of the organism and affect the course of human pathologies. Altered expression of individual miRNAs has be...

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Main Authors: Annunziata Gaetana Cicatiello, Michele Musone, Silvestro Imperatore, Carlo Giulioni, Roberto La Rocca, Angelo Cafarelli, Francesco Del Giudice, Monica Dentice, Felice Crocetto
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-06-01
Series:The Journal of Liquid Biopsy
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950195425000128
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author Annunziata Gaetana Cicatiello
Michele Musone
Silvestro Imperatore
Carlo Giulioni
Roberto La Rocca
Angelo Cafarelli
Francesco Del Giudice
Monica Dentice
Felice Crocetto
author_facet Annunziata Gaetana Cicatiello
Michele Musone
Silvestro Imperatore
Carlo Giulioni
Roberto La Rocca
Angelo Cafarelli
Francesco Del Giudice
Monica Dentice
Felice Crocetto
author_sort Annunziata Gaetana Cicatiello
collection DOAJ
description MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are noncoding, single-stranded RNAs molecules modulating gene expression thanks to their ability to bind mRNAs. Indeed, they regulate key processes for the proper functioning of the organism and affect the course of human pathologies. Altered expression of individual miRNAs has been shown in most human cancers, endowed with oncogenic or suppressor potential. Additionally, miRNAs have shown a promising potential as cancer markers. Not only miRNAs are present in various body fluids, such as serum and plasma, they also have high biological stability of miRNAs that in turn facilitates their detection. For these reasons, the use of miRNAs detection as non-invasive prognostic and predictive biomarkers in cancer provides new perspectives and strategies for personalized medicine and cancer therapy.This review summarizes the current knowledge supporting the utility of miRNAs as novel early diagnostic and prognostic tool, with a special focus on the effectiveness of miRNAs of the liquid biopsies in the diagnosis of urogenital cancers. In conclusion, we rightly state that circulating miRNAs and therefore liquid biopsy have the potential to revolutionize the diagnosis, monitoring and even treatment of urological tumors, entering clinical practice as a more accurate, less invasive and more suitable diagnostic tool for patient follow-up compared to current methodologies. With the progress of scientific research and the implementation of advanced technologies that also exploit artificial intelligence, the future of oncological diagnosis, especially for urological tumors, could be increasingly oriented towards less invasive approaches and based on precision medicine, tailored for the specific patient.
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spelling doaj-art-b68b52649d744a8ca093fc8f4933a8d32025-08-20T03:30:44ZengElsevierThe Journal of Liquid Biopsy2950-19542025-06-01810029610.1016/j.jlb.2025.100296Circulating miRNAs in genitourinary cancer: pioneering advances in early detection and diagnosisAnnunziata Gaetana Cicatiello0Michele Musone1Silvestro Imperatore2Carlo Giulioni3Roberto La Rocca4Angelo Cafarelli5Francesco Del Giudice6Monica Dentice7Felice Crocetto8Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, ItalyDepartment of Neurosciences, Reproductive Sciences and Odontostomatology, University of Naples Federico II, ItalyDepartment of Neurosciences, Reproductive Sciences and Odontostomatology, University of Naples Federico II, ItalyCasa di Cura Villa Igea, Via Maggini, 200, Ancona, ItalyDepartment of Neurosciences, Reproductive Sciences and Odontostomatology, University of Naples Federico II, ItalyCasa di Cura Villa Igea, Via Maggini, 200, Ancona, ItalyDepartment of Maternal Infant and Urologic Sciences, ''Sapienza'' University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 324, 00161, Rome, ItalyDepartment of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples, Italy; CEINGE – Biotecnologie Avanzate Scarl, Naples, ItalyDepartment of Neurosciences, Reproductive Sciences and Odontostomatology, University of Naples Federico II, Italy; Corresponding author.MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are noncoding, single-stranded RNAs molecules modulating gene expression thanks to their ability to bind mRNAs. Indeed, they regulate key processes for the proper functioning of the organism and affect the course of human pathologies. Altered expression of individual miRNAs has been shown in most human cancers, endowed with oncogenic or suppressor potential. Additionally, miRNAs have shown a promising potential as cancer markers. Not only miRNAs are present in various body fluids, such as serum and plasma, they also have high biological stability of miRNAs that in turn facilitates their detection. For these reasons, the use of miRNAs detection as non-invasive prognostic and predictive biomarkers in cancer provides new perspectives and strategies for personalized medicine and cancer therapy.This review summarizes the current knowledge supporting the utility of miRNAs as novel early diagnostic and prognostic tool, with a special focus on the effectiveness of miRNAs of the liquid biopsies in the diagnosis of urogenital cancers. In conclusion, we rightly state that circulating miRNAs and therefore liquid biopsy have the potential to revolutionize the diagnosis, monitoring and even treatment of urological tumors, entering clinical practice as a more accurate, less invasive and more suitable diagnostic tool for patient follow-up compared to current methodologies. With the progress of scientific research and the implementation of advanced technologies that also exploit artificial intelligence, the future of oncological diagnosis, especially for urological tumors, could be increasingly oriented towards less invasive approaches and based on precision medicine, tailored for the specific patient.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950195425000128MicroRNA (miRNA)Liquid biopsyCancer diagnosisNon-coding RNAGene expression regulationTumor biomarkers
spellingShingle Annunziata Gaetana Cicatiello
Michele Musone
Silvestro Imperatore
Carlo Giulioni
Roberto La Rocca
Angelo Cafarelli
Francesco Del Giudice
Monica Dentice
Felice Crocetto
Circulating miRNAs in genitourinary cancer: pioneering advances in early detection and diagnosis
The Journal of Liquid Biopsy
MicroRNA (miRNA)
Liquid biopsy
Cancer diagnosis
Non-coding RNA
Gene expression regulation
Tumor biomarkers
title Circulating miRNAs in genitourinary cancer: pioneering advances in early detection and diagnosis
title_full Circulating miRNAs in genitourinary cancer: pioneering advances in early detection and diagnosis
title_fullStr Circulating miRNAs in genitourinary cancer: pioneering advances in early detection and diagnosis
title_full_unstemmed Circulating miRNAs in genitourinary cancer: pioneering advances in early detection and diagnosis
title_short Circulating miRNAs in genitourinary cancer: pioneering advances in early detection and diagnosis
title_sort circulating mirnas in genitourinary cancer pioneering advances in early detection and diagnosis
topic MicroRNA (miRNA)
Liquid biopsy
Cancer diagnosis
Non-coding RNA
Gene expression regulation
Tumor biomarkers
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950195425000128
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