The role of micro-RNA in cancerogenesis and breast cancer prognosis

Summary Despite the significant achievements of modern medicine in the early diagnosis of cancer, breast cancer remains one of the leading causes of death from cancer in female population worldwide. To date, a class of small (18-25 nucleotides) conservative non-coding sequences of RNA molecules, called miRNA, is described. The study of miRNA can lead to a breakthrough in understanding the process of carcinogenesis, as well as to the creation of minimally invasive techniques for the diagnosis and prognosis of breast cancer. In this article, we review theoretical assumptions and practical results of studies of the role of miRNA in the carcinogenesis in mammary gland. We also performed an analysis of modern literature data on the prognostic significance of these molecules in breast cancer.