Document Type : Original Article(s)

Authors

1 Department of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Assuit University, Assuit, Egypt

2 Biotechnology Department, Faculty of Postgraduate Studies for Advanced Sciences, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, Egypt

3 Division of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, Egypt

4 Department of Pulmonology, Chest, Faculty of Medicine, Assuit University, Assuit, Egypt

5 Clinical Oncology Department, Assuit University Hospital, Assuit, Egypt

6 Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Assuit University, Assuit, Egypt

Abstract

Background: Detecting non-small-cell lung cancer at an early stage has become a great challenge due to the lack of a specific non-invasive marker. MicroRNAs are small, non-coding RNA molecules that play a role in carcinogenesis and cancer progression, as indicated by their abnormal expression in the patients’ plasma. Herein, we investigated the plasma level of circulating miRNA-30a and miRNA-221 as non-invasive markers for an early detection of non-small-cell lung cancer.
Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Assiut University Hospital, Egypt, to investigate miRNA-30a and miRNA-221 expression via quantitative real-time PCR in the plasma of patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (n=70) and healthy controls (n=34). Receiver operating curves were used to evaluate the diagnostic value of miRNA-221 and miRNA-30a in non-small-cell lung cancer. The relationship between both markers and patient clinical parameters was further assessed.
Result: Circulating plasma miRNA-30a and miRNA-221 levels were significantly higher in the non-small-cell lung cancer patients compared with those in the healthy controls (P<0.05). There was a significant difference regarding the plasma miRNA-30a level among the three groups (the highest levels were recorded in adenocarcinoma, followed by large cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma). ROC curve analysis of miRNA-30a and miRNA-221 showed that specificity and sensitivity were 60% and 80%, and 40% and 75%, respectively.
Conclusion: miRNA-30a and miRNA-221 may be non-invasive biomarkers for early detection and screening or therapeutic targets in patients with NSCLC. Future studies are warranted regarding the use of biomarkers as therapeutic targets.

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