Ming Qi1, Dongmei Liu2, Shuhong Zhang1. 1. Department of Digestive System, Jinan Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan 250013, Shandong, China. 2. Transfusion Centre, Jinan Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan 250013, Shandong, China.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Multidrug resistance in gastric cancer greatly impedes the efficacy of chemotherapy. OBJECTIVE: To explore the efficacy of microRNA-21 (mir-21) in distinguishing metastatic gastric cancer (MGC) with chemoresistance. METHODS: From April 2012 to May 2015, 92 MGC patients were enrolled. Cisplatin and fluorouracil-based systemic chemotherapy was given, and patients' characteristics and follow-up data were collected. In addition, miR-21 expression was determined in tumor tissue and plasma. RESULTS: Sixty-seven patients responded to chemotherapy, and chemotherapy resistance was observed in 25 patients. miR-21 expression in tumor tissue and plasma was significantly elevated in the chemotherapy-resistant group (CRG) compared to the chemotherapy-sensitive group (CSG) (p< 0.001). miR-21 expression in tissue was associated with tumor differentiation (p= 0.042), and plasma miR-21 was correlated with gender (p= 0.016), tumor differentiation (p= 0.003), and number of metastatic sites (p< 0.001). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis indicated that miR-21 in tissue yielded an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.830 (95%CI: 0.737-0.900, sensitivity: 88.0%, specificity: 68.7%) in distinguishing CRG from CSG; and plasma miR-21 yielded an AUC of 0.759 (95%CI: 0.658-0.842, sensitivity: 52.0%, specificity: 88.1%) in distinguishing CRG form CSG. Log-rank test and Cox proportional hazard regression analysis indicated that patients with higher miR-21 expression in tissue and plasma experienced shorter overall survival (P< 0.001). CONCLUSION: miR-21 could serve as a potential biomarker to identify MGC with chemoresistance.
BACKGROUND: Multidrug resistance in gastric cancer greatly impedes the efficacy of chemotherapy. OBJECTIVE: To explore the efficacy of microRNA-21 (mir-21) in distinguishing metastatic gastric cancer (MGC) with chemoresistance. METHODS: From April 2012 to May 2015, 92 MGC patients were enrolled. Cisplatin and fluorouracil-based systemic chemotherapy was given, and patients' characteristics and follow-up data were collected. In addition, miR-21 expression was determined in tumor tissue and plasma. RESULTS: Sixty-seven patients responded to chemotherapy, and chemotherapy resistance was observed in 25 patients. miR-21 expression in tumor tissue and plasma was significantly elevated in the chemotherapy-resistant group (CRG) compared to the chemotherapy-sensitive group (CSG) (p< 0.001). miR-21 expression in tissue was associated with tumor differentiation (p= 0.042), and plasma miR-21 was correlated with gender (p= 0.016), tumor differentiation (p= 0.003), and number of metastatic sites (p< 0.001). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis indicated that miR-21 in tissue yielded an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.830 (95%CI: 0.737-0.900, sensitivity: 88.0%, specificity: 68.7%) in distinguishing CRG from CSG; and plasma miR-21 yielded an AUC of 0.759 (95%CI: 0.658-0.842, sensitivity: 52.0%, specificity: 88.1%) in distinguishing CRG form CSG. Log-rank test and Cox proportional hazard regression analysis indicated that patients with higher miR-21 expression in tissue and plasma experienced shorter overall survival (P< 0.001). CONCLUSION:miR-21 could serve as a potential biomarker to identify MGC with chemoresistance.