MiR-211 plays a dual role in cancer development: From tumor suppressor to tumor enhancer

Cancer is a general term for more than 100 unique malignancies in different organs of the body. Each cancer type and subtype has its own unique genetic, epigenetic, and cellular factors accountable for malignant progression and metastasis. Small non-coding RNAs called miRNAs target mRNAs and play a vital part in the pathogenesis of human diseases, specifically cancer. Recent investigations provided knowledge of the deregulation of miR-211 in various cancer types and disclosed that miR-211 has an oncogenic or tumor-suppressive impact on tumourigenesis and cancer development. Moreover, recent discoveries which clarify the essential functions of miR-211 might provide proof for its prognosis, diagnostic and therapeutic impact on cancer. Thereby, this review will discuss recent findings regarding miR-211 expression level, target genes, and mechanisms in different cancers. In addition, the most recent results that propose miR-211 usefulness as a noninvasive biomarker and therapeutic factor for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer will be explained.