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Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a newly validated type of noncoding RNAs recently found to be deregulated in several human cancers. More accurate and specific noninvasive biomarkers are strongly needed for better diagnosis and prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We performed a bioinformatics analysis to retrieve a novel panel of circRNAs potentially relevant to HCC. We examined their expression in the sera of 68 patients with HCC, 60 patients with chronic hepatitis C, and 36 healthy controls using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. We examined the performance characteristics of the selected circRNA biomarker panel in comparison with alpha‐fetoprotein (AFP). In addition, we performed a survival analysis to correlate between their expression levels and patient survival. The circRNAs hsa_circ _00224 and hsa_circ _00520 showed a strong biomarker potential with relatively high sensitivities and specificities compared with AFP. The combined panel including the three circRNAs showed superior performance characteristics relative to those of AFP. The median follow‐up period was 26 months. hsa_circ_00520 expression has been shown to be associated with relapse‐free survival (P < 0.005). circRNAs hsa_circ_00156, hsa_circ_000224, and hsa_circ_000520 are novel potential biomarkers of high sensitivity and specificity, which could potentially be used in the diagnosis of HCC.

Drug repurposing is the idea of using an already approved drug for another disease or disorder away from its initial use. This new approach ensures the reduction in high cost required for developing a new drug in addition to the time consumed, especially in the tumor disorders that show an unceasing rising rate with an unmet success rate of new anticancer drugs. In our review, we will review the anti-cancer effect of some CNS drugs, including both therapeutic and preventive, by searching the literature for preclinical or clinical evidence for anticancer potential of central nervous system drugs over the last 8 years period (2010-2018) and including only evidence from Q1 journals as indicated by Scimago website (www.scimagojr.com). We concluded that Some Central Nervous system drugs show a great potential as anti-cancer in vitro, in vivo and clinical trials through different mechanisms and pathways in different types of cancer that reveal a promising evidence for the repurposing of CNS drugs for new indications.

Epigenetic changes in oncogenes and tumor-suppressor genes contribute to carcinogenesis. Understanding the epigenetic and genetic components of tumor immune evasion is crucial. Few cancer genetic mutations have been linked to direct correlations with immune evasion. Studies on the epigenetic modulation of the immune checkpoints have revealed a critical interaction between epigenetic and immune modulation. Epigenetic modifiers can activate many silenced genes. Some of them are immune checkpoints regulators that turn on immune responses and others turn them off resulting in immune evasion. Many forms of epigenetic inheritance mechanisms may play a role in regulation of immune checkpoints including: covalent modifications, noncoding RNA and histone modifications. In this review, we will show how the potential interaction between epigenetic and immune modulation may lead to new approaches for specific epigenome/immunome-targeted therapies for cancer.