Current research on circular RNAs and their potential clinical implications in breast cancer

Breast cancer(BC)is one of the most common cancers and the leading causes of death among women worldwide,and its morbidity rate is growing.Discovery of novel biomarkers is necessary for early BC detection,treatment,and prognostication.Circular RNAs(circ RNAs),a novel type of endogenous non-coding RNAs with covalently closed continuous loops,have been found to have a crucial role in tumorigenesis.Studies have demonstrated that circ RNAs are aberrantly expressed in the tumor tissues and plasma of patients with BC,and they modulate gene expression affecting the proliferation,metastasis,and chemoresistance of BC by specifically binding and regulating the expression of micro RNAs(mi RNAs).Therefore,circ RNAs can be used as novel potential diagnostic and prognostic markers,and therapeutic targets for BC.This article summarizes the properties,functions,and regulatory mechanisms of circ RNAs,particularly current research on their association with BC proliferation,metastasis,and chemoresistance.