The Role of Circular RNAs and MicroRNAs in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: From Mechanisms to Therapeutic Potential

The research landscape on non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) highlights it as a prevalent form of cancer with high mortality, primarily because of late diagnosis and the inefficacy of traditional therapies. NSCLC, chiefly composed of adenocarcinoma, squamous-cell carcinoma, and large-cell carcinoma, has shown only marginal improvement in patient outcomes despite advancements in targeted therapies and immunotherapies. Current innovations and investigations center around the role of non-coding RNAs, particularly circular RNAs (circRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs), which exhibit promise in early detection and as novel therapeutic targets.

This Research Topic aims to deepen the understanding of circRNAs and miRNAs in NSCLC pathophysiology, focusing on their potential as biomarkers and therapeutic agents. Despite the considerable promise of these molecules, there are no established diagnostic or therapeutic tools based on circRNAs or miRNAs to date. Our objective is to explore their functional roles in the progression, metastasis, and drug resistance of NSCLC to facilitate the development of more effective diagnostic and treatment strategies.

This Research Topic encompasses studies that delineate the boundaries and potential of circRNAs and miRNAs within molecular biology, oncology, and translational medicine focusing on NSCLC. To advance the field, contributions could include:

Insights into the biogenesis and functional impacts of circRNAs and miRNAs on NSCLC.
Examinations of their relationships with tumor progression, metastasis, and resilience against existing treatments.
Exploration of circRNAs and miRNAs as predictive biomarkers for disease onset and therapeutic outcomes. We aspire to cultivate groundbreaking therapeutic approaches that harness the unique properties of these non-coding RNAs, potentially revolutionizing NSCLC management.

Please note manuscripts consisting solely of bioinformatics or computational analysis of public genomic or transcriptomic databases that are not accompanied by validation (independent cohort or biological validation in vitro or in vivo) are out of the scope of this Research Topic.

Keywords: Circular RNA; MicroRNA; Lung Cancer; Biomarker; Cancer Therapy

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.