Role in development or treatment of LEF1-AS1 in tumors of the digestive system

Abstract More than a quarter of global cancer cases and deaths occur in China, while 41.6% of new cancer cases and 49.3% of cancer deaths in China occur in tumors of the digestive system. Altered gene expression is a major feature of many cancers, and 70–90% of the RNA in the genome is transcribed into noncoding RNAs (ncRNA), of which long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) is a special type of RNA molecules, which are closely related to a series of biological processes including tumorigenesis and progression.LEF1-AS1 plays an oncogenic role in most tumors, such as high expression and oncogenicity in colorectal cancer (CRC), hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), gastric cancer (GC), and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). However, the mechanism of its action is complex and diverse, including its biological significance as well as the affected genes, proteins, microRNAs (miRNAs), and signaling pathways. In this paper, we will review the research progress of LEF1-AS1 in tumors of the digestive system. An in-depth study of the role of LEF1-AS1 in various aspects of cancer will contribute to basic research against LEF1-AS1-related targets as well as further tumor prevention, intervention, and clinical translational research.