N⁶-Methyladenosine (m⁶A) RNA modification brings a new dawn for RNA modification researches in recent years. This posttranscriptional RNA modification is dynamic and reversible, and is regulated by methylases (“writers”), demethylases (“erasers”), and proteins that preferentially recognize m⁶A modifications (“readers”). The change of RNA m⁶A modification regulates RNA metabolism in eucaryon, including translation, splicing, exporting, decay, and processing. Thereby the dysregulation of m⁶A may lead to tumorigenesis and progression. Given the tumorigenic role of abnormal m⁶A expression, m⁶A regulators may function as potential clinical therapeutic targets for cancers. In this review, we emphasize on the underlying mechanisms of m⁶A modifications in tumorigenesis and further introduce the potential m⁶A regulators-associated therapeutic targets for tumor therapy.

The aim of this study was to compare the short-term and mid-term results of patients with centrally located lung cancer who underwent bronchial sleeve resection by robotic system or thoracotomy. From September 2014 to September 2015, 103 patients, including 17 robotic and 86 open cases, were included in our study. All the clinicopathological data, operative details and follow-up information were investigated. There were no intraoperative deaths. The mean console time was 113.59 min. The operative time for robotic surgery (155.06 ± 44.75 min), even in our initial cases, was comparable to that for thoracotomy (150.30 ± 47.84 min, P = 0.71). The 30-day mortality rate in the robotic and thoracotomy groups was 1 (6%) patient and 2 (2%) patients, respectively, with no significant difference (P = 0.43). A total of 4 (24%) patients in the robotic group and 22 (26%) patients in the thoracotomy group experienced postoperative complications (P = 0.86). In multivariable analysis, tumour size and postoperative radiotherapy were significant predictors of relapse-free survival, whereas only the intensive care unit stay was a significant predictor of overall survival. There was no significant difference in relapse-free survival (log-rank P = 0.16) and overall survival (log-rank P = 0.59) between the 2 groups. Robotic surgery for bronchial sleeve resection is safe and feasible and has similar oncological outcomes compared with open procedures. But long-term survival still needs to be investigated.