Identification of microRNAs as diagnostic biomarkers in screening of head and neck cancer: a meta-analysis

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Head and neck cancer (HNC) is one of the most prevalent cancers; it is often diagnosed at its advanced stage and has a low 5-year survival rate. Evidence suggests that noninvasive biomarker microRNAs (miRNAs) are valuable for early diagnosis of HNC. This meta-analysis assessed the diagnostic value of miRNAs in HNC detection. A systematic literature search for relevant studies up to August 4, 2014 was conducted in databases and other sources. Statistical analysis was conducted using STATA 12.0. Pooled sensitivity, specificity, and other parameters, together with a summary receiver operating characteristic curve were used to assess the overall performance of miRNA assays. Subgroup analyses and meta-regression were used to analyze heterogeneity, and a Deeks' funnel plot asymmetry test assessed publication bias. = 0.21-0.30); diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), 16 (95%CI = 11-24); and area under curve (AUC), 0.87 (95%CI = 0.84-0.89). We conducted subgroup analyses based on ethnicity, cancer type, miRNA profiling, and specimen types, and found that miRNA assays yielded the highest accuracy in esophageal cancer. Notably, the DOR was 99 and the AUC was 0.96 for the multiple miRNA test, indicating strong discrimination of cancer patients from healthy people. The meta-analysis indicates that noninvasive miRNAs are a promising diagnostic tool with moderate accuracy for HNC diagnosis.

HPV epigenetic mechanisms related to Oropharyngeal and Cervix cancers

“…Several studies focused on miRNA profiling in HNC have been published in recent years. 39 They have identified specific miR-NAs as candidate oncogenes and tumor-suppressor genes in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. 40,41 Interestingly, the investigation of a panel of 9 head and neck cancer cell lines and 261 mature miRNA gene identified specific subsets of miRNAs that provided candidate molecular signatures characteristic of the tumor-derived cell lines belonging to this cancer.…”

Droplet digital PCR for detection and quantification of circulating tumor DNA in plasma of head and neck cancer patients

“…For head and neck cancer, research has been focused mainly on actionable oncogenic mutations such as PIK3CA and HRAS , hot-spot TP53 mutations, and HPV-related biomarkers to use as prognosticators or predictors for establishing and adjusting targeted therapy [9–12]. For similar purposes, transcriptional and epigenetic changes are studied substantially [13–15]. For the early detection of recurrent disease, early driver mutations in HNSCC such as TP53 mutations would be favorable to use as biomarkers, as these are likely to occur consistently throughout clonal evolution [16, 17], and are found to be most frequent and concordant in recurrent and metastatic HPV-negative tumors compared to mutations in other genes [18–22].…”

Serum microRNA-135a downregulation as a prognostic marker of non-small cell lung cancer

“…miRNA are widely involved in the regulation of physiological functions, such as proliferation, survival, differentiation, migration, and development, in cells and organisms (Shenoy and Blelloch, 2014). Furthermore, abnormal miRNA expression is associated with the development and progression of several diseases including cancer (Calin and Croce, 2006;Li et al, 2015;Zhang et al, 2015). miRNA may function as an oncogene or a tumor suppressor gene in tumorigenesis (Sana et al, 2012).…”