Long non-coding RNA HOXA transcript at the distal tip as a biomarker for gastric cancer

A long non-coding RNA named HOXA transcript at the distal tip (HOTTIP) has been reported to be significantly increased in several cancers, including hepatocellular cancer, pancreatic cancer and lung cancer. However, the clinical value of HOTTIP expression in gastric cancer remains unknown. The present study aimed to investigate HOTTIP expression levels in gastric cancer and to elucidate its clinical significance. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was used to assess the expression level of HOTTIP in gastric cancer cell lines and tissues. In a cohort of 94 patients with gastric cancer, HOTTIP expression was significantly lower in cancer tissues compared with the normal adjacent tissues. In addition, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to evaluate the diagnostic value of HOTTIP in gastric cancer, and the area under the ROC curve was 0.767. In conclusion, the results of the present study indicated that HOTTIP may be a predictive biomarker for gastric cancer.