Role of Exosomal miRNA in Bladder Cancer: A Promising Liquid Biopsy Biomarker

Xuan-Mei Piao, Eun-Jong Cha, Seok Joong Yun, Wun-Jae Kim
2021 International Journal of Molecular Sciences  
Bladder cancer (BCa) is the most prevalent neoplasia of the urinary tract. Unfortunately, limited improvements in effective BCa management have meant that it remains a challenging disease. Cystoscopy has been the gold standard for BCa diagnosis and surveillance for over two centuries but is an invasive and expensive approach. Recently, liquid biopsy has been identified as a promising field of cancer research, due to its noninvasiveness and ease of sampling. Liquid biopsy samples could provide
more » ... mprehensive information regarding the genetic landscape of cancer and could track genomic evolution of the disease over time. Exosomes, which contain RNAs, DNAs, and proteins, are a potential source of tumor biomarkers in liquid biopsy samples. In particular, exosomal miRNAs (exomiRs) hold great promise as biomarkers for tumor development and progression. In this review, we provide an overview of liquid biopsy biomarkers, with a particular focus on the use of exomiRs as biomarkers of cancer, and summarize their clinical implications for BCa. Finally, we discuss the future perspectives of these biomarkers in cancer research.
doi:10.3390/ijms22041713 pmid:33567779 fatcat:kawzsdb6ofci7itsro3ftb54am