DCLK1 and cancer: Furthermore, DCLK1 has been shown to decrease tumor suppressor miRNAs let-7a, miR-200, miR-144, and miR-143/145 and subsequently up-regulate their downstream targets, including c-MYC, EMT-associated transcription factors ZEB1, ZEB2, Snail and Slug in HCC, CRC and PDAC, thereby promoting the development of cancer [9, 18, 27].