Abstract
GI tumors represent a heterogeneous group of neoplasms concerning their natural history and molecular alterations harbored. Nevertheless, these tumors share very high incidence and mortality rates worldwide and patients' poor prognosis. Therefore, the identification of specific biomarkers could increase the development of personalized medicine, in order to improve GI cancer management. In this sense, HMGA family members (HMGA1 and HMGA2) comprise an important group of genes involved in the genesis and progression of malignant tumors. Additionally, it has also been reported that HMGA1 and HMGA2 display an important role in the detection and progression of GI tumors. In this way, HMGA family members could be used as reliable biomarkers able to efficiently track not only the tumor per se but also the main risk conditions related with their development of GI cancers in the future. Finally, it shall be a promising option to revert the current scenario, once HMGA genes and proteins could represent a convergence point in the complex landscape of GI tumors.
Highlights
Cancer represents one of the most challenging diseases since the last century, and the exponential growing in the knowledge of its molecular basis shall represent a singular opportunity to translate this knowledge in practical tools, able to effectively impact on life quality of the people affected by this malignancy. is hope mainly resides on the potential application of the recent cellular and molecular discoveries in oncology field, into better strategies for disease prevention, early detection, prognosis increment, and new therapeutic approaches [1]
A comprehensive meta-analysis has recently reported the significant impact of high levels of HMGA2 mRNA and/or protein levels on the diminution of cancer patients’ overall survival, e.g., of patients affected by renal cell carcinoma, head and neck cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma [17]
Two high mobility group A (HMGA) pseudogenes have been recently identified and described as capable of modulating HMGA protein levels since they act as a decoy, hampering their degradation by miRNAs [18, 19]. e involvement of HMGA1 and HMGA2 in tumorigenesis has been largely reported along the last years, once the aberrant expression of these genes possesses implications in the tumor biology and in cancer management, characterizing HMGA genes as potential diagnosis and prognosis biomarkers for several different tumors [13]
Summary
Cancer represents one of the most challenging diseases since the last century, and the exponential growing in the knowledge of its molecular basis shall represent a singular opportunity to translate this knowledge in practical tools, able to effectively impact on life quality of the people affected by this malignancy. is hope mainly resides on the potential application of the recent cellular and molecular discoveries in oncology field, into better strategies for disease prevention, early detection, prognosis increment, and new therapeutic approaches [1]. The identification of cancer-specific biomarkers has revolutionized this disease management, by increasing the development of personalized medicine, besides changing the “deadly” paradigm commonly associated with cancer [2] In this sense, HMGA family members (HMGA1 and HMGA2) comprise an important group of genes involved in cancer genesis and progression [3]. HMGA levels are frequently upregulated in several different neoplasms, being their overexpression associated with tumor poor prognosis [16] In this sense, a comprehensive meta-analysis has recently reported the significant impact of high levels of HMGA2 mRNA and/or protein levels on the diminution of cancer patients’ overall survival, e.g., of patients affected by renal cell carcinoma, head and neck cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma [17]. Two HMGA pseudogenes have been recently identified and described as capable of modulating HMGA protein levels since they act as a decoy, hampering their degradation by miRNAs [18, 19]. e involvement of HMGA1 and HMGA2 in tumorigenesis has been largely reported along the last years, once the aberrant expression of these genes possesses implications in the tumor biology and in cancer management, characterizing HMGA genes as potential diagnosis and prognosis biomarkers for several different tumors [13]
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