miRNAs are a class of small RNA molecules with regulatory function, and play an important role in tumor development and progression. It has been demonstrated that tumor-derived miRNAs exist in the circulating nucleic acids of cancer patients. This phenomenon implies that detection of the circulating miRNA may be an effective method for non-invasive diagnosis of cancer. In this review, we summarize the applications of the circulating miRNA as biomarkers in cancer diagnosis, as well as the latest research progress in this area.
TIE Yi1, LIU BinDong2, FU HanJiang1 & ZHENG XiaoFei1· 1 Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Bejing 100850, China
