Emerging long noncoding RNA polymorphisms as novel predictors of survival in cancer

Long non coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in the tumor growth, invasion, metastasis, and cancer recurrence. The improper expression of certain lncRNAs is correlated with the prognosis of the cancer patients. LncRNA single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) largely affect the expression, structure, and function of lncRNAs. Therefore, they affect cancer prognosis and susceptibility. In the present review, we tried to collect all published papers on the prognostic ability in cancer considering the correlation of different lncRNAs polymorphism and survival. We explored the association between lncRNA (i.e. MALAT1, ANRIL, GAS5, TP73-AS1, HOTAIR, H19, LncARSR, PVT1, HOTTIP, PRNCR1, PCAT1, CASC8, UCA1, SNHG5, PARP1, Linc00312, and NEAT) polymorphisms with cancer prognosis. The HOTAIR rs920778/rs4759314 and MALAT1 rs664589 polymorphisms play an important role in cancer relevant functions. Other lncRNAs polymorphisms are special for certain kinds of cancer, indicating their function in specific signaling pathways. Accordingly, the individual or combined genotypes of lncRNA polymorphisms are able to predict cancer prognosis. However, most of the samples are Chinese and do not represent the global population. More large-scale trials of different ethnic groups as well as comprehensive health records are therefore needed for more validation of the results.