Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related death worldwide. The precursor of CRC is a colorectal polyp, of which adenoma is the most common histological type. The initial step in CRC development is the gradual accumulation of a series of genetic and epigenetic alterations in the normal colonic epithelium. Genetic alterations play a major role in a subset of CRCs, but the pathophysiological contribution of epigenetic aberrations has recently attracted attention. Epigenetic marks occur early in cancer pathogenesis and are therefore important molecular hallmarks of cancer. This makes some epigenetic alterations clinically relevant for early detection not only of CRC but also of precancerous polyps. In this review we focus on three types of non-coding RNAs as epigenetic regulators: miRNA, lncRNA, and lncRNAs, highlighting their biomarker potential.