Novel Perspectives for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Gynecological Cancers using Dysregulation of PIWI Protein and PiRNAs as Biomarkers

The term "gynecological cancer" is used for a group of cancers occurring in the female reproductive system. Some of these cancers are ranked as the leading causes of death in developed and developing countries. The lack of proper diagnostic strategies is one of the most important reasons that make them lethal. PIWI-interacting RNAs or piRNAs are a class of small non-coding RNAs, which contain 24-32 nucleotides. These RNAs take part in some cellular mechanisms, and their role in diverse kinds of cancer is confirmed by accumulative evidence. In this review, we gather some information on the roles of these RNAs and members of the PIWI protein family to provide new insight into accurate diagnostic biomarkers and more effective anti-cancer drugs with fewer side effects.