Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are the most common mesenchymal tumors of the gastrointestinal tract and are usually driven by activating mutations in KIT or PDGFRA. Although these alterations define the core molecular biology of GISTs and guide targeted therapy, they do not fully explain the variability observed in tumor behavior, recurrence risk, or response to tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), including microRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs), have been increasingly studied as regulators of gene expression in GISTs. Recent evidence suggests that these molecules may influence KIT-centered signaling, autophagy, apoptosis, invasion, angiogenesis, and drug resistance. However, the strength of evidence differs considerably across individual ncRNAs, ranging from bioinformatic associations to functional validation in cell lines and in vivo models. This review summarizes current knowledge on ncRNA-mediated regulation in GIST biology, with emphasis on tumor progression, therapeutic resistance, and possible clinical relevance. Rather than treating ncRNAs as isolated biomarkers, they function as part of broader regulatory networks that interact with oncogenic signaling and epigenetic mechanisms. Although several ncRNAs appear promising as prognostic or predictive candidates, further validation in independent clinical cohorts is required before their integration into routine risk stratification or treatment decision-making.
Georgios Mandrakis, Stavros P. Papadakos, Georgia Levidou et al.· International Journal of Mol...· 0 citations
Socioeconomic deprivation is linked to lower bowel cancer screening uptake, potentially resulting in later-stage colorectal cancer (CRC) diagnoses. This retrospective study explored whether it influences CRC stage at diagnosis and time to first treatment (TFT).
Anonymised patient data were sourced from Lower Gastrointestinal (LGI) Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) files. Deprivation ranks were determined via the English Index of Multiple Deprivation (EIMD). Multivariable regression and survival analyses examined the link between socioeconomic deprivation, CRC stage at diagnosis, and its relation to TFT.
In 162 patients, socioeconomic deprivation does not affect CRC stage progression at diagnosis in a linear fashion (OR = 1.065, 95% CI 0.94 to 1.207, p = 0.3238), does not predict advanced disease (OR = 1.07, 95% CI 0.93 – 1.24, p = 0.0338), does not predict metastatic disease (OR = 1.06, 95% CI 0.92 to 1.24, p = 0.41), does not affect TFT (estimate = - 0.04, 95%CI - 0.17 to 0.08, p = 0.17). Age is a significant independent predictor of earlier CRC stage (OR = 0.964, 95% CI 0.928 to 0.992, p = 0.0117), non-advanced (OR = 1.07, 95% CI 0.93 – 1.24, p = 0.0338) and non-metastatic CRC disease (OR = 0.97, 95% CI 0.94 to 0.99, p = 0.049).
Socioeconomic deprivation doesn't affect CRC stage at diagnosis or TFT. Younger age independently predicts more advanced CRC at presentation. Public and healthcare provider awareness is needed for timely evaluation of younger patients with possible CRC symptoms.
Ioannis Karniadakis, Stavros P. Papadakos, C. Tsagkaris et al.· British Journal of Surgery· 0 citations
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