The Oncogenic and Tumor‐Suppressive Roles of SNHG18: A Double‐Edged Long Noncoding RNA in Cancer

Abstract

Numerous recent studies have shown that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play a crucial role in the development of diverse cancers. Small nucleolar RNA host gene 18 (SNHG18) is a cancer‐related lncRNA in the SNHG family, whose expression is dysregulated in various tumors and acts as either an oncogenic or tumor‐suppressive factor. Several studies have demonstrated that SNHG18 exhibits dual effects in various cancers. The role of this molecule is context‐dependent, acting as a tumor suppressor in certain cancers while exhibiting oncogenic properties in others. The expression of SNHG18 is cancer‐type specific: it is upregulated in glioma, multiple myeloma, and lung cancer, but downregulated in bladder and hepatocellular cancer. Clinical studies have also found a correlation between SNHG18 expression and prognosis in different cancers. We present an overview of studies on SNHG18, emphasizing its biological functions and its potential as a promising biomarker for the diagnosis and treatment of diverse cancer types.