Abstract
Several studies have highlighted the diagnostic potential of salivary microRNA (miRNA) in head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC). The purpose of this meta-analysis was to summarize published studies and evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of salivary miRNA in HNSCC detection. In this meta-analysis, we systematically searched PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases for studies on miRNA and HNSCC diagnosis. Pooled sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) with a summary receiver-operating characteristic curve were calculated using a bivariate random-effect meta-analysis model. Furthermore, subgroup analyses were conducted to explore the main sources of heterogeneity. Seventeen studies from ten articles, including 23 miRNA and a total of 759 subjects, were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of salivary miRNA in the diagnosis of HNSCC were 0.697 (95% CI: 0.644–0.744) and 0.868 (95% CI: 0.811–0.910), respectively. The overall area under the curve was 0.803 with a DOR of 12.915 (95% CI: 9.512–17.534). Salivary miRNAs are a promising non-invasive diagnostic biomarker with moderate accuracy for HNSCC. These results must be verified by large-scale prospective studies.
Highlights
Many biomarkers have been proposed that have a significant impact on the diagnosis and prognosis of head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC) patients, but most of them are insufficiently validated for use in clinical practice [1]
Of target messenger RNAs and regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally through RNA degradation and/or translational inhibition [2]. miRNAs influence several biological processes that make up the hallmarks of cancer, including proliferation signals, cell death and metastasis [3]
Aberrant miRNA expression is a characteristic feature of human cancer, and the identification of aberrant miRNAs and their respective targets can provide potential diagnostic and prognostic tumor biomarkers as well as novel therapeutic strategies for cancer treatment
Summary
Many biomarkers have been proposed that have a significant impact on the diagnosis and prognosis of head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC) patients, but most of them are insufficiently validated for use in clinical practice [1]. There is a need to discover new non-invasive biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of HNSCC. MiRNA expression patterns are cell- and tissuespecific, so miRNAs could be used as biomarkers to diagnose various types of cancer and could predict the survival and prognosis of patients. The meta-analysis of the diagnostic value of miRNA in head and neck cancer (HNC) demonstrated that noninvasive miRNAs are a promising diagnostic tool with moderate accuracy for HNC diagnosis [5]. MiRNAs are present in various body fluids, including saliva, and their expression levels are stable and consistent over time within an individual [6,7]
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