In non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) and in hepatocellular cancer, NUAK1 is negatively regulated by miR-204,71,72 in pancreatic cancer NUAK1 is regulated by miR-9673; while miR-203 suppresses cell invasiveness through targeting NUAK1 both in head and neck cancer74 and in squamous cell carcinoma.75 Recently, NUAK1 expression results enhanced following the downregulation of miR-145a-5p and of miR-30b-5p respectively in nasopharyngeal and prostate cancer.76,77 In intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma NUAK1 is directly targeted by two different miRNAs: miR-14578 and miR-424-5p.79 This evidence concerns the gene NUAK1 and squamous cell carcinoma.