A signature of circulating miRNAs predicts the prognosis and therapeutic outcome of taxane/platinum regimen in advanced ovarian carcinoma patients.

purposeOvarian carcinoma (OC) is ranked as the eighth most lethal gynecological cancer due to late diagnosis and high recurrence. Existing biomarkers are lacking to predict the recurrence and stratify patients who are likely to benefit from chemotherapy. MicroRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) are persistently present in humans and are capable of predicting treatment outcomes. Thus, the purpose of the study was to assess the potential of circulatory miRNAs to predict the efficacy of OC.

methodsNewly diagnosed n = 208 OC patients were administrated neoadjuvant/adjuvant chemotherapy (taxane + platinum) after surgery. Their demographic, gynecologic, clinical parameters, response, and survival were recorded. MiR-27a, miR-182, miR-199a, miR-214, and miR-591 were taken and the expression were analyzed using real-time PCR at different treatment intervals. Further, its prognostic value (Kaplan-Meier, and Cox regression analysis) and diagnostic importance (receiver operating characteristic curve) were validated.

resultThe mean age of patients with poorly differentiated (45.2%) serous OC was 48.69 ± 10.38. The majority experienced menarche at ≥ 12 (62.2%) with poor menstrual hygiene (81.8%) and were post-menopausal (69.4%), some were associated with high risk of survival (HR =  > 1). MiRNA signature showed three over-expression and two under-expression (miR-27a, miR-182, and miR-214; miR-199a and miR-591) in advanced OC compared to the control (P=  < 0.05). Also, a significant difference was detected at each time interval of treatment with the response (P =  ≤ 0.001) associated with resistance and overall survival (P =  ≤ 0.001) with risk (HR =  > 1). ROC analysis showed enhanced the diagnostics accuracy (< 0.001).

conclusionOur findings indicate that circulating miRNAs might be a potential minimally invasive diagnostic marker for treatment outcome and recurrence in ovarian carcinoma.