A novel panel of microRNAs provides a sensitive and specific tool for the diagnosis of breast cancer.

Breast cancer has a high fatality rate. Early diagnosis reduces the rate of mortality; therefore, novel diagnostic methods are urgently required. The present study investigated the correlation of serum microRNA (miRNA/miR) expression with breast cancer, and tested a panel of miRNAs as promising potential biomarkers for breast cancer. Six miRNAs (miR‑374, miR‑666‑5p, miR‑451, miR‑148a, miR‑27a and miR‑30b) were selected for analysis and their differential expression levels were quantified using qPCR. The results demonstrated that four out of the six candidate miRNAs were significantly downregulated in breast cancer patients (miR‑451, P=0.000; miR‑148a, P=0.021; miR‑27a, P=0.013 and miR‑30b, P=0.001). A panel of miRNAs consisting of the four downregulated miRNAs was able to distinguish breast cancer from healthy controls, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 95.3%, a sensitivity of 94.7% and a specificity of 82.8%. Thus, this panel of miRNAs may be used as a sensitive and specific tool for the diagnosis of breast cancer.