miRNA Biology in Breast Cancer Progression

Among the plethora of human malignancies, breast cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers diagnosed in women worldwide. The early detection of breast cancer with current techniques has significantly reduced the mortality rate in the last decade. Nonetheless, various drawbacks presented by these techniques remain as one of the foremost hurdles in the proper clinical management of the condition. The discovery and utilization of highly specific, minimally invasive unique biomarkers would greatly aid an efficient diagnosis and prognosis of breast cancer. The differential expressions of miRNAs also play well-studied roles in the progression and metastasis of the condition. The chapter outlines the clinical importance of miRNAs-based biomarkers in the early detection and prognosis of breast cancer and reviews the different subtypes involved. The role of miRNAs in modulating various cellular processes during the progression and metastasis of breast cancer has been discussed. Finally, the importance of an integrated omics approach in identifying novel targets of miRNAs is also elaborated upon.

Keywords: Autophagy, Apoptosis, Biomarker, Breast cancer, Cancer stem cells, Metabolomics, miRNA, Proteomics, Senescence.