Expression of miR-1294 is downregulated and predicts a poor prognosis in gastric cancer

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play critical roles in regulating tumor development and progression. The aim of the study is to investigate the clinical significance of miR-1294 expression in gastric cancer (GC).

The expression of miR-1294 in 82 cases of GC tissues and adjacent normal tissues was determined using quantitative Real Time-PCR (qRT-PCR) analyses. Survival plot was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier methods and log-rank test from the date of operation to the time of death or last follow-up date. The association between miR-1294 expression and clinical categorical data was analyzed using the chi-squared test. Moreover, Univariate and multivariate Cox analysis were performed to assess the risk factors of GC prognosis.

We showed that miR-1294 expression was significantly downregulated in GC tissues compared to adjacent normal tissues. The low expression of miR-1294 in patients with GC was correlated with clinicopathological parameters including larger tumor size, lymph node metastasis, and distant metastasis. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that GC patients with lower miR-1294 expression exhibited a shorter disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) time compared to those patients with higher miR-1294 expression. Multivariate Cox analysis showed that lower miR-1294 expression, tumor size, lymph node metastasis, and distant metastasis were identified as independent risk factors of GC prognosis.

Our results provided evidence that miR-1294 expression was significantly downregulated in GC and may serve as a predictor of GC prognosis.