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MicroRNAs in Breast Cancer Research: Progress and Promise

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Breast Cancer Metastasis and Drug Resistance

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Abstract

Over the years, remarkable progress has been made in regards to our understanding of breast cancer biology and consequently the development of novel treatments. One idea that has proven to be immensely valuable is the use of microRNAs (miRNAs) in cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and even for treatment. The miRNAs are short RNA molecules that are able to post-transcriptionally regulate the expression of genes at multiple levels. Past and current research has continued to classify miRNAs as either highly or rarely expressed in cancer cells in relation to their normal non-cancerous counterparts. This classification is also used to organize the various miRNAs as either tumor suppressing or oncogenic. For example, aberrant expression of certain miRNAs is widely accepted to signify different stages of cancer. This chapter summarizes our current understanding of the role of miRNAs in cancer, while enlightening the readers with the role of specific miRNAs in breast cancer development and progression, and their exploitation for designing innovative therapeutic strategies.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University School of Medicine740 Hudson Webber Cancer Research Center, 4100 John R Street, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA

    Alia Ahmed, Ashhar S. Ali, Aamir Ahmad & Fazlul H. Sarkar

  2. Departments of Pathology Oncology, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University, Detroit, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA

    Shadan Ali, Philip A. Philip & Fazlul H. Sarkar

Authors
  1. Alia Ahmed
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  2. Ashhar S. Ali
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  3. Shadan Ali
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  4. Aamir Ahmad
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  5. Philip A. Philip
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  6. Fazlul H. Sarkar
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Fazlul H. Sarkar .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Medicine, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University, John R Street 4100, Detroit, 48201, Michigan, USA

    Aamir Ahmad

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Ahmed, A., Ali, A.S., Ali, S., Ahmad, A., Philip, P.A., Sarkar, F.H. (2013). MicroRNAs in Breast Cancer Research: Progress and Promise. In: Ahmad, A. (eds) Breast Cancer Metastasis and Drug Resistance. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-5647-6_22

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