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miRNA expressions in rectal cancer as predictors of response to neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy

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Abstract

Introduction

Neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy has been shown to improve the outcome in patients with rectal cancer and is generally accepted as standard care; however, only selected patients would benefit from this treatment. We aimed to identify predictors of response to neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy in colorectal cancer using formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues as source of genetic materials and microarray analysis as investigation tool.

Methods

After optimization of RNA extraction methods from FFPE, microarray analysis was carried out on total RNA extracted from 12 pre-treatment FFPE rectal tissues using Megaplex pool A. Microarray data were analysed using an artificial neural network algorithm. Statistical analysis and correlation with clinicopathological data was performed using SPSS software.

Results

A distinct miRNA expression signature predictive of response to neoadjuvant CRT in 12 FFPE pre-treatment rectal cancer tissue samples was identified. These signatures consisted of three miRNA transcripts (miR-16, miR-590-5p and miR-153) to predict complete vs. incomplete response and two miRNA transcript (miR-519c-3p and miR-561) to predict good vs. poor response with a median accuracy of 100 %.

Conclusion

Using microarray analysis of pretreatment FFPE rectal cancer tissues, we identified for the first time a group of miRNA predictors of response to neoadjuvant CRT. This, indeed, can lead to a significant improvement in patient selection criteria and personalized rectal cancer management.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the National Breast Cancer Research Institute for their financial support of the study.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, National University of Ireland Galway, Clinical Science Institute, Costello Road, Galway, Ireland

    Elrasheid A. H. Kheirelseid, Nicola Miller, Kah Hoong Chang, Catherine Curran, Emer Hennessey & Michael J. Kerin

  2. Department of Pathology, National University of Ireland Galway, Costello Road, Galway, Ireland

    Margaret Sheehan

  3. Biostatistics Unit, National University of Ireland Galway, Costello Road, Galway, Ireland

    John Newell

  4. School of Science and Technology, John Van Geest Cancer Research Centre, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK

    Christophe Lemetre & Graham Balls

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  1. Elrasheid A. H. Kheirelseid
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  2. Nicola Miller
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Correspondence to Elrasheid A. H. Kheirelseid.

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Kheirelseid, E.A.H., Miller, N., Chang, K.H. et al. miRNA expressions in rectal cancer as predictors of response to neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy. Int J Colorectal Dis 28, 247–260 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00384-012-1549-9

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