Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41462940›Full record

ReviewBiomedicines2025

Exosome-Derived microRNAs as Liquid-Biopsy Biomarkers in Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Narrative Review and Evidence Map.

Crina Oana Pintea, Cristian Ion Mot, Islam Ragab, Şerban Talpoş, Karina-Cristina Marin, Nicolae Constantin Balica, Edward Seclaman, Kristine Guran, Delia Ioana Horhat

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Biomedicines, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
  3. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Crina Oana PinteaDoctoral School, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Eftimie Murgu Square 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania.ORCID 0009-0002-5243-0259
Cristian Ion MotDepartment IX, Discipline of Otolaryngology, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Eftimie Murgu Square 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania.
Islam RagabFaculty of Medicine, Misr University for Science & Technology, Giza Governorate 3237101, Egypt.
Şerban TalpoşDiscipline of Oral and Maxillo-Facial Surgery, Faculty of Dental Medicine, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Eftimie Murgu Square 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania.
Karina-Cristina MarinDepartment of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Eftimie Murgu Square 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania.
Nicolae Constantin BalicaDepartment IX, Discipline of Otolaryngology, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Eftimie Murgu Square 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania.ORCID 0000-0001-7755-4608
Edward SeclamanDepartment of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Eftimie Murgu Square 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania.
Kristine GuranDoctoral School, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Eftimie Murgu Square 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania.
Delia Ioana HorhatDepartment IX, Discipline of Otolaryngology, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timisoara, Eftimie Murgu Square 2, 300041 Timisoara, Romania.ORCID 0000-0001-7210-1263

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Exosome-derived microRNAs (miRNAs) have been proposed as minimally invasive biomarkers for laryngeal squamous- cell carcinoma (LSCC). Because oral and maxillofacial surgeons are integral to head-and-neck oncologic and reconstructive pathways, such liquid-biopsy signals could support perioperative decision-making (selection for organ-preserving surgery), margin surveillance, and reconstructive planning. We conducted a preregistered, protocol-driven search of PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, and Scopus from inception to 1 June 2025. Given the very small number of clinically comparable diagnostic studies, discordant index tests/thresholds, and high heterogeneity, we did not perform quantitative pooling or publication-bias testing. Instead, we undertook a narrative synthesis and constructed an evidence map; risk of bias tools (QUADAS-2; ROBINS-I) were applied descriptively to inform qualitative confidence. Nine studies were formally analysed based on eligibility to the study topic. Two serum-based case-control investigations (111 LSCC, 80 controls) reported areas under the ROC curve of 0.876 (miR-21 + HOTAIR) and 0.797 (miR-941), with corresponding sensitivities of 94% and 82%. Seven mechanistic papers showed that vesicular cargos-including miR-1246, circPVT1, and LINC02191-drive STAT3-dependent M2 polarisation, NOTCH1-mediated stemness, Rap1b-VEGFR2 angiogenesis, and glycolytic re-programming, producing 1.6-2.6-fold increases in invasion, tube formation, or xenograft growth. Only three studies fulfilled MISEV-2018 characterisation criteria, and none incorporated external validation. This narrative review and evidence map identifies promising but preliminary diagnostic signals and biologically plausible mechanisms for exosomal miRNAs in LSCC; however, the evidence is sparse, single-region, methodologically inconsistent, and at high risk of bias. Findings do not support clinical implementation at this stage. Priorities include harmonised EV workflows, prespecified thresholds, and prospective, multi-centre validation.

Indexed as

diagnosticsexosomesextracellular vesicleslaryngeal squamous-cell carcinomaliquid biopsymaxillofacial surgerymicroRNAprognosistumour micro-environment

Identifiers

PMID41462940
PMCPMC12731064

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.