Circular RNAs in Breast Cancer Progression and their Potential Clinical Applications

Asmaa Abuaisha; Halil Ibrahim Arslan; Emir Nekay; Selman Emiroğlu

doi:10.18521/ktd.1850665

EN

Circular RNAs in Breast Cancer Progression and their Potential Clinical Applications

Abstract

Breast cancer (BC) is the most prevalent malignant tumor among women globally. It is a biologically heterogeneous disease driven by complex genetic and epigenetic alterations that influence tumor initiation, progression, metastasis, and therapeutic response. Among the epigenetic regulators, non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), particularly microRNAs (miRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs), have emerged as key modulators of BC biology through intricate regulatory networks. CircRNAs are endogenous RNA molecules generated by back-splicing of precursor messenger RNAs, forming covalently closed-loop structures that confer remarkable stability and resistance to exonuclease-mediated degradation. Although initially identified in the 1970s, their biological significance became evident following advances in high-throughput RNA sequencing and bioinformatics, which revealed their widespread expression and diverse regulatory functions. CircRNAs modulate gene expression by acting as competing endogenous RNAs that sponge miRNAs, interacting with RNA-binding proteins, regulating parental gene transcription, and, in some cases, encoding functional peptides. Through these mechanisms, they regulate essential cellular processes, including proliferation, apoptosis, migration, invasion, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, metastasis, and therapeutic resistance. Accumulating evidence demonstrates that aberrant circRNA expression is closely associated with clinicopathological characteristics, molecular subtypes, treatment response, and patient prognosis in BC. Owing to their high stability, tissue specificity, and detectability in body fluids, circRNAs have emerged as promising non-invasive biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment monitoring. Furthermore, advances in RNA-based therapeutics have highlighted circRNAs as attractive therapeutic targets through approaches such as engineered circRNAs, antisense oligonucleotides, RNA interference, and CRISPR/Cas13-mediated strategies. This review summarizes circRNA biogenesis, functions, and regulatory mechanisms, particularly circRNA/miRNA/mRNA axes, and explores their roles in BC progression, drug resistance, and potential clinical applications as biomarkers and therapeutic targets in precision oncology.

Keywords

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Health Care Administration

Journal Section

Review

Authors

Asmaa Abuaisha ^*
0000-0003-2869-6620
Türkiye

Halil Ibrahim Arslan
0009-0001-4172-4748
Türkiye

Emir Nekay
0009-0001-2389-0486
Türkiye

Selman Emiroğlu
0000-0001-9333-6926
Türkiye

Publication Date

October 27, 2026

Submission Date

December 29, 2025

Acceptance Date

August 1, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 18 Number: 3

DOI

https://doi.org/10.18521/ktd.1850665

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA29HE36PA

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Abuaisha, A., Arslan, H. I., Nekay, E., & Emiroğlu, S. (2026). Circular RNAs in Breast Cancer Progression and their Potential Clinical Applications. Konuralp Medical Journal, 18(3), 332-343. https://doi.org/10.18521/ktd.1850665

AMA

1.Abuaisha A, Arslan HI, Nekay E, Emiroğlu S. Circular RNAs in Breast Cancer Progression and their Potential Clinical Applications. Konuralp Medical Journal. 2026;18(3):332-343. doi:10.18521/ktd.1850665

Chicago

Abuaisha, Asmaa, Halil Ibrahim Arslan, Emir Nekay, and Selman Emiroğlu. 2026. “Circular RNAs in Breast Cancer Progression and Their Potential Clinical Applications”. Konuralp Medical Journal 18 (3): 332-43. https://doi.org/10.18521/ktd.1850665.

EndNote

Abuaisha A, Arslan HI, Nekay E, Emiroğlu S (October 1, 2026) Circular RNAs in Breast Cancer Progression and their Potential Clinical Applications. Konuralp Medical Journal 18 3 332–343.

IEEE

[1]A. Abuaisha, H. I. Arslan, E. Nekay, and S. Emiroğlu, “Circular RNAs in Breast Cancer Progression and their Potential Clinical Applications”, Konuralp Medical Journal, vol. 18, no. 3, pp. 332–343, Oct. 2026, doi: 10.18521/ktd.1850665.

ISNAD

Abuaisha, Asmaa - Arslan, Halil Ibrahim - Nekay, Emir - Emiroğlu, Selman. “Circular RNAs in Breast Cancer Progression and Their Potential Clinical Applications”. Konuralp Medical Journal 18/3 (October 1, 2026): 332-343. https://doi.org/10.18521/ktd.1850665.

JAMA

1.Abuaisha A, Arslan HI, Nekay E, Emiroğlu S. Circular RNAs in Breast Cancer Progression and their Potential Clinical Applications. Konuralp Medical Journal. 2026;18:332–343.

MLA

Abuaisha, Asmaa, et al. “Circular RNAs in Breast Cancer Progression and Their Potential Clinical Applications”. Konuralp Medical Journal, vol. 18, no. 3, Oct. 2026, pp. 332-43, doi:10.18521/ktd.1850665.

Vancouver

1.Asmaa Abuaisha, Halil Ibrahim Arslan, Emir Nekay, Selman Emiroğlu. Circular RNAs in Breast Cancer Progression and their Potential Clinical Applications. Konuralp Medical Journal. 2026 Oct. 1;18(3):332-43. doi:10.18521/ktd.1850665