MicroRNAs as Biomarkers for Diagnosis, Prognosis and Theranostics in Prostate Cancer.

Gloria Bertoli,Isabella Castiglioni,Claudia Cava

doi:10.3390/ijms17030421

Abstract

Prostate cancer (PC) includes several phenotypes, from indolent to highly aggressive cancer. Actual diagnostic and prognostic tools have several limitations, and there is a need for new biomarkers to stratify patients and assign them optimal therapies by taking into account potential genetic and epigenetic differences. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small sequences of non-coding RNA regulating specific genes involved in the onset and development of PC. Stable miRNAs have been found in biofluids, such as serum and plasma; thus, the measurement of PC-associated miRNAs is emerging as a non-invasive tool for PC detection and monitoring. In this study, we conduct an in-depth literature review focusing on miRNAs that may contribute to the diagnosis and prognosis of PC. The role of miRNAs as a potential theranostic tool in PC is discussed. Using a meta-analysis approach, we found a group of 29 miRNAs with diagnostic properties and a group of seven miRNAs with prognostic properties, which were found already expressed in both biofluids and PC tissues. We tested the two miRNA groups on The Cancer Genome Atlas dataset of PC tissue samples with a machine-learning approach. Our results suggest that these 29 miRNAs should be considered as potential panel of biomarkers for the diagnosis of PC, both as in vivo non-invasive test and ex vivo confirmation test.

Highlights

Prostate cancer (PC) is the most commonly diagnosed male tissue cancer and the second leading cause of tumor death in the United States [1]
A low detection rate for PC has been associated with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in the so-called grey zone (4–10 ng/mL), and no advantage of PSA screening is recognized for healthy subjects [2]
The PC antigen 3 (PCA-3), has been suggested as a urine biomarker for the non-invasive early detection of PC, but it is not sufficient to avoid a second biopsy for all patients [5]

Summary

Introduction

Prostate cancer (PC) is the most commonly diagnosed male tissue cancer and the second leading cause of tumor death in the United States [1]. It includes several phenotypes, from indolent to highly aggressive phenotypes, despite the fact that it tends to grow more slowly than other solid cancers. Circulating prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is currently the most common non-invasive biomarker used to detect PC. Large aggressive lesions may not be properly characterized by either the Gleason score needle biopsy (when randomly performed within the tumour volume) or by PSA level [4]. The PC antigen 3 (PCA-3), has been suggested as a urine biomarker for the non-invasive early detection of PC, but it is not sufficient to avoid a second biopsy for all patients [5]

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Conclusion