Long non-coding RNA BLACAT1, a novel promising biomarker and regulator of human cancers.

Emerging evidence has shown that aberrantly expressed long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play a vital role in various biological processes of tumorigenesis. Bladder cancer associated transcript 1 (BLACAT1) is a novel lncRNA located on chromosome 1q32.1, which regulated multiple downstream targets via serving as a "sponge" for their corresponding microRNAs or by directly interacting with various regulating proteins. In this review, we summarized the role of BLACAT1 in the development and progression of different cancers. We also highlighted that BLACAT1 could be utilized as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for human cancers.