Targeting lncRNAs to Overcome Cancer Therapy Resistance: Advances in RNA Therapeutics and Delivery Strategies

Abstract

Simple Summary Cancer treatment has improved substantially over recent decades, yet many patients eventually develop resistance to therapy, limiting long-term treatment success. Increasing evidence suggests that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), a class of RNA molecules that do not produce proteins, play important roles in helping cancer cells survive treatment and adapt to therapeutic pressure. These discoveries have generated interest in lncRNAs as potential therapeutic targets. At the same time, recent advances in RNA medicine have demonstrated that disease-causing RNA molecules can be successfully targeted in patients. In this review, we discuss the emerging role of lncRNAs in cancer therapy resistance and examine how advances in RNA-based treatments may create new opportunities to overcome this challenge. We also highlight key obstacles that must be addressed before lncRNA-targeted therapies can be translated into clinical practice. Improved understanding of these mechanisms may ultimately contribute to more effective and durable cancer treatments.