Diagnostic and prognostic value of plasma microRNA deregulation in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Abstract

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is uncommon worldwide but often highly invasive in late stages. Due to its special location and lack of specific symptoms, NPC is hardly detected in regular medical examination at the beginning. Development of sensitive and specific biomarkers should help to save lives against this type of disease. In the present report, we investigated the value of plasma miRNAs for diagnosis and prognosis of NPC. Using candidate approach, we selected 21 miRNAs from literature to compare their expression levels in the plasma of NPC patients and controls. As a result, 5 miRNAs showed diagnostic potentials (P<0.01). Among them, miR-16, -21, -24, and -155 had increased levels in NPC patients, whereas the level of miR-378 was decreased. There was a negative correlation between plasma miRNA expression and cancer progression, where miR-21 was statistically significant in T and N staging and miR-16 and 24 were significant in N staging only. Combination of miR-16, -21, -24, -155, and -378 gives 87.7% of sensitivity and 82.0% of specificity for NPC diagnosis. Without miR-16, combination of the rest 4 miRNAs gives the same sensitivity but a slightly reduced specificity. After treatment, all 5 miRNAs were somewhat back to normal levels in patients without cancer recurrence but the prognostic value was not statistically significant. In conclusion, plasma miRNA expression is a useful biomarker for NPC diagnosis but not for its prognosis. More importantly, it is simple, effective, and non-invasive. Combination of several plasma miRNAs can increase both NPC diagnostic sensitivity and specificity.

• Authors: Xiong Liu, Hua-Nan Luo, Wen-Dong Tian, Juan Lu, Gang Li, Lu Wang, Bao Zhang, Bi-Jun Liang, Xiao-Hong Peng, Shao-Xiong Lin, Ying Peng, Xiang-Ping Li
• Journal: Cancer biology & therapy (Cancer Biol Ther) Vol. 14 Issue 12 Pg. 1133-42 (Dec 2013) ISSN: 1555-8576 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 24025417 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Biomarkers, Tumor
• MicroRNAs

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Aged
• Biomarkers, Tumor (blood, genetics)
• Carcinoma
• Female
• Humans
• Male
• MicroRNAs (blood, genetics)
• Middle Aged
• Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma
• Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms (diagnosis, pathology)
• Prognosis
• Young Adult