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Updated: Mar 13, 2026
MicroRNA Based Liquid Biopsy: The Experience of the Plasma miRNA Signature Classifier MSC for Lung Cancer Screening
Published on: October 26, 2017
Integrating DNA methylation and microRNA biomarkers in sputum for lung cancer detection
Yun Su1, HongBin Fang2, Feng Jiang3
1Department of Surgery, Jiangsu Province Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, 138 Xianlin Road, Nanjing, 210023 China.
Background:
Abnormal microRNA (miRNA) expressions and promoter methylation of genes detected in sputum may provide biomarkers for non-small lung cancer (NSCLC). Here, we evaluate the individual and combined analysis of the two classes of sputum molecular biomarkers for NSCLC detection.
Results:
We analyze expression of 3 miRNAs (miR-21, miR-31, and miR-210) and methylation of 3 genes (RASSF1A, PRDM14, and 3OST2), which were previously identified as potential biomarkers for NSCLC, in sputum of a set of 117 stage I NSCLC patients and 174 cancer-free smokers. The results are validated in a different set of 144 stage I NSCLC patients and 171 controls. The panel of 3 miRNA biomarkers has 81.5 % sensitivity and 85.9 % specificity; the panel of 3 methylation biomarkers displays 82.9 % sensitivity and 76.4 % specificity for NSCLC detection. Integrated analysis of 2 miRNAs (miR-31 and miR-210) and 2 genes (RASSF1A and 3OST2) yields higher sensitivity (87.3 %) and specificity (90.3 %) compared with the individual panels of the biomarkers (P < 0.05). Combined analysis of all the 3 miRNAs and 3 genes does not have performance superior to that of the panel of 2 miRNAs and 2 genes (P > 0.05). The performance of combined use of the two classes of biomarkers was confirmed in the validation set.
Conclusions:
The integration of two different classes of biomarkers synergistically improves both the sensitivity and the specificity for the early detection of NSCLC.
