Long non-coding RNA FAM83H-AS1 as an emerging marker for diagnosis, prognosis and therapeutic targeting of cancer

Incidence and mortality rates of cancer continue to increase greatly despite the improved diagnostic and therapeutic methods. Based on GLOBOCAN estimates, the numbers of new cancer cases reported in 2018 were similar to 18.1 million, while the numbers of cancer mortalities were similar to 9.6 million. It remains difficult to diagnose most cancer patients at early stages. Although cancer therapy market is rapidly evolving, the effectiveness of therapy is still inadequate. Therefore, exploring new biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis and treatment is essential for cancer management. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are unique regulatory molecules that control several cellular processes and are implicated in diverse human diseases including cancer. LncRNAs could serve as potential biomarkers for cancer patients to aid diagnosis and determine prognosis. In addition, numerous lncRNAs have proved their ability to predict response to cancer treatment. FAM83H antisense RNA 1 (FAM83H-AS1) is among those highly dysregulated lncRNAs in cancer. FAM83H-AS1 was demonstrated to participate in the progression of different malignancies and also shown to play a vital role in diagnosis, prognosis and treatment. Here, we analyse recent studies concerning the oncogenic role and molecular mechanisms of lncRNA FAM83H-AS1 in the following cancer types: bladder, breast, lung, hepatocellular, colorectal, gastric, pancreatic, ovarian, cervical cancer as well as glioma.