Multipurpose RNA maturation factors dysregulate multiple mRNA processing steps simultaneously and provide new therapeutic opportunities.

mRNAs undergo a series of chemical modifications to become competent for nuclear export and translation. This is referred to as mRNA maturation or processing and includes capping, splicing, and 3'end formation. These steps can be hijacked in cancer to alter proteins' forms and levels in the absence of mutation or changes to transcript levels. Here, we focus on an emerging idea that some factors act in multiple processing events and that their dysregulation in both their canonical and noncanonical functions contributes to cancer with a focus on Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML). As examples, we discuss the eukaryotic translation initiation factor (eIF4E), splice factor 3 complex B subunit 1 (SF3B1), U2 small nuclear auxiliary factor (U2AF1), and associated factors. These physically interact with each other and play roles in splicing, export, and translation. Malignant dysregulation of this mRNA processing-export-translation axis diversifies the proteome to support cancer. Finally, we discuss the simultaneous dysregulation of mRNA processing in malignancy and related therapeutic development.