Pathogenetic and clinical relevance of microRNAs in colorectal cancer.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) has been described as a multistep disease due to the progressive accumulation of mutations and chromosomal rearrangements involving critical oncogenes or oncosuppressors. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small interfering RNAs frequently involved in the pathogenesis of cancer. Several genome-wide profiling studies have identified miRNAs deregulated in colorectal cancer. Many of these deregulated miRNAs contribute to CRC tumorigenesis and may help to understand CRC pathogenesis, prognosis and response to treatment. This review will focus on common mechanisms involved in miRNA alterations in CRC, their functional implication in CRC development and the potential use of miRNAs as prognostic and predictive surrogate markers for the management of CRC patients.