miRNAs in gastrointestinal and liver cancers: their perspectives and clinical applications.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally. They have been found to be dysregulated in many pathological conditions including cancer and play an important role during the progression of such disease. Recent efforts have been directed in translating the primary findings of miRNAs into clinical uses. This article gives a general overview on the potential of miRNAs as diagnostic and prognostic markers and also as therapeutic targets for gastrointestinal and liver cancers in animals and humans. Other contributors in this special series would focus in discussing the roles of specific miRNAs and their pathogenic mechanisms and therapeutic applications in different types of cancer in the gastrointestinal tract and liver.