Female-related cancers, including breast, ovarian, endometrial, and cervical malignancies, are among the most prevalent and clinically significant health challenges worldwide. Their development involves a complex interplay of genetic mutations, environmental factors, lifestyle influences, and therapeutic interventions. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as critical regulators in these cancers, modulating epigenetic mechanisms, transcriptional programs, and post-transcriptional processes. Aberrant lncRNA expression promotes tumor initiation, drives progression and metastasis, and facilitates epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and angiogenesis. Among these, colon cancer-associated transcript 2 (CCAT2) has been identified as an oncogenic lncRNA across multiple tumor types. CCAT2 primarily activates the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, enhancing β-catenin transcriptional activity and upregulating downstream targets such as MYC and cyclin D1, which are essential for cancer cell proliferation and survival. Despite growing evidence of its oncogenic role, the specific contribution of CCAT2 to female-related cancers remains incompletely understood. This study systematically reviews recent findings on CCAT2's role in the development and progression of breast, ovarian, endometrial, and cervical cancers, elucidates the underlying molecular mechanisms, and evaluates its potential as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker. Furthermore, the translational potential of CCAT2 as a therapeutic target is discussed, highlighting opportunities for improving clinical outcomes in these malignancies.
Vanan et al. (Sun,) studied this question.