DECODING THE CANCER CODE:

Carcinogenesis predicts 30 million new cases by 2040, making it the second leading cause of death globally. In Brazil, neoplastic diseases resulted in more than 229,000 deaths in 2020, with 704,000 new cases expected between 2023 and 2025. Factors such as smoking, stress and genetic predisposition influence oncogenesis. Oncology interventions face challenges such as therapeutic resistance and tumor heterogeneity. Around 75% of the human genome is made up of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), with a focus on long ncRNAs. Previously considered 'evolutionary junk', lncRNAs regulate genes and affect cancer. Nuclear lncRNAs impact chromatin architecture, transcription and RNA processing. They function via complex pathways, modulating oncogenes and affecting resistance to treatment. Several lncRNAs, including MALAT1, ANRIL, HOTAIR, GAS5, MEG3 and H19, modulate oncogenic pathways and influence cellular processes and treatment resistance. Although promising as biomarkers, the structural complexity of lncRNAs hinders their clinical application.