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An In Vitro Protocol for Evaluating MicroRNA Levels, Functions, and Associated Target Genes in Tumor Cells
Published on: May 21, 2019
Diagnostic and Prognostic Accuracy of MiRNAs in Pancreatic Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Fatemeh Hasani1, Mahdi Masrour2, Sina Khamaki1
1Golestan Research Center of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran.
Abstract:
Pancreatic cancer (PC) remains a significant contributor to global cancer mortality, with limited effective diagnostic and prognostic tools. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as promising biomarkers for PC diagnosis and prognosis. A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus. Studies reporting sensitivity, specificity or area under the curve (AUC) for miRNAs in PC diagnosis, as well as hazard ratios (HRs) for survival evaluations, were included. Data extraction and quality assessment followed PRISMA guidelines. Meta-analyses were conducted using appropriate statistical methods. The protocol is registered in PROSPERO. Diagnostic analysis included 290 evaluations, revealing an overall AUC of 0.8226 for PC diagnosis. Subgroup analyses showed varying accuracies, with blood and tissue specimens yielding higher AUC values. Promising miRNAs with AUC values above 0.8 included miR-320, miR-1290, miR-93, miR-25, miR-451, miR-20, miR-21, miR-223 and miR-122. Prognostic analysis encompassed 46 studies, indicating significant associations between miRNA expression and overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). The combined HR for studies reporting OS HRs higher than one was 1.7613 (95% CI: 1.5394-2.0152, p < 0.0001; I2 = 81.7%). Notable miRNAs with prognostic significance included miR-10, miR-21 and miR-221. Studies reporting OS HRs less than one had a pooled HR of 0.6805 (95% CI: 0.5862-0.7901, p < 0.0001; I2 = 65.4%). MiRNAs hold promise as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for PC. Blood and tissue specimens offer superior diagnostic accuracy, and several miRNAs show potential for predicting patient outcomes.
Insights
MicroRNAs show promise as biomarkers for pancreatic cancer (PC) diagnosis and prognosis. Studies indicate their potential in improving early detection and predicting patient survival outcomes, especially when analyzed in blood and tissue samples.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
- Biomarker Discovery
Background:
- Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a leading cause of cancer mortality with limited diagnostic and prognostic tools.
- MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are increasingly recognized as potential biomarkers for various cancers, including PC.
- Existing diagnostic and prognostic methods for PC require improvement for better patient outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic performance of microRNAs (miRNAs) in pancreatic cancer (PC).
- To identify specific miRNAs with high accuracy for PC diagnosis and significant association with patient survival.
- To assess the utility of different sample types (e.g., blood, tissue) for miRNA-based PC diagnostics.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive literature search was performed across PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases.
- Meta-analyses were conducted on studies reporting sensitivity, specificity, area under the curve (AUC) for diagnosis, and hazard ratios (HRs) for prognosis, following PRISMA guidelines.
- Diagnostic and prognostic data from 290 and 46 studies, respectively, were analyzed.
Main Results:
- The meta-analysis demonstrated an overall AUC of 0.8226 for miRNA-based PC diagnosis.
- Blood and tissue specimens showed higher diagnostic accuracy compared to other sample types.
- Several miRNAs, including miR-320, miR-1290, and miR-21, exhibited significant diagnostic and prognostic value for PC, with notable associations with overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS).
Conclusions:
- MicroRNAs represent promising biomarkers for both the diagnosis and prognosis of pancreatic cancer.
- The use of blood and tissue samples enhances the diagnostic accuracy of miRNA biomarkers for PC.
- Specific miRNAs identified in this meta-analysis hold potential for improving early detection and predicting patient outcomes in pancreatic cancer.
