The role of microRNAs in nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), a distinct type of head and neck cancer, is prevalent in Southeast Asia and southern China. Ethnic background and environmental factors contribute to the development of NPC, further complicating its pathogenesis. An increasing body of evidence indicates that microRNAs (miRNAs) play an important role in the development and progression of NPC, in particular, 32 miRNAs are involved in NPC tumorigenesis, progression, and metastasis. The causal involvement of miRNAs in NPC and their possible use as biomarkers have been extensively studied with promising results, demonstrating the diagnostic and therapeutic potential of miRNAs in NPC. In this review, we summarize the role of all the known miRNAs involved in the signaling pathway implicated in NPC.