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Identification of microRNAs as novel biomarkers for detecting esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in Asians: a meta-analysis

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Tumor Biology

Abstract

Accumulating evidence has suggested that microRNAs (miRNAs) may play potential role as ideal diagnostic indicators of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). However, previous studies have met discrepant results. Thus, we conducted this meta-analysis to assess the potential diagnostic value of miRNAs for ESCC. A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed and other databases. The pooled sensitivity (SEN), specificity (SPE), positive likelihood ratio (PLR), negative likelihood ratio (NLR), diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), and area under the curve (AUC) were calculated to evaluate the overall test performance. The Q statistic and the I 2 test were used to assess between-study heterogeneity. The potential sources of heterogeneity were further analyzed by subgroup analyses and meta-regression. Seventeen studies from eight articles, including 995 ESCC patients and 733 healthy controls, were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled SEN and SPE were 0.81 (95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.76–0.85) and 0.83 (95 % CI 0.76–0.88), respectively. The pooled PLR was 4.6 (95 % CI 3.3–6.5), NLR was 0.23 (95 % CI 0.19–0.29), and DOR was 20 (95 % CI 13–31). The pooled AUC was 0.91 (95 % CI 0.88–0.93). Subgroup analyses indicated that blood-based miRNA assay displays better diagnostic accuracy than saliva-based miRNA assay. In summary, miRNA analysis may serve as novel noninvasive biomarkers for ESCC with excellent diagnostic characteristic. In addition, subgroup analysis suggested that blood-based assay yields better diagnostic characteristics than saliva-based assay. However, many issues should be managed before these findings can be translated into a clinically useful detection method for ESCC.

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Acknowledgments

This work was Funded by Key Disciplines Group Construction Project of Pudong Health Bureau of Shanghai (No. PWZxq2014-04) and Key Specialty Construction Project of Pudong Health and Family Planning Commission of Shanghai (Grant No. PWZz2013-17).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Gastroenterology, East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200120, China

    Yanying Wang

  2. Department of Anesthesiology, East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200120, China

    Qingxiu Wang & Yuchun Gu

  3. Key Laboratory of Food Science and Engineering of Heilongjiang Province, Harbin University of Commerce, Harbin, 150076, China

    Na Zhang

  4. Department of Ultrasonography, East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200120, China

    Hong Ma

  5. Research Center for Translational Medicine, East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, 150 Jimo Road, Shanghai, 200120, China

    Hongming Tang, Zengguang Xu & Yong Gao

  6. Department of Oncology, East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200120, China

    Yong Gao

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  1. Yanying Wang
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Correspondence to Zengguang Xu or Yong Gao.

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Yanying Wang and Qingxiu Wang contributed equally to this paper.

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Wang, Y., Wang, Q., Zhang, N. et al. Identification of microRNAs as novel biomarkers for detecting esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in Asians: a meta-analysis. Tumor Biol. 35, 11595–11604 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13277-014-2350-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13277-014-2350-x

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