Title:Blood-based microRNAs as Potential Diagnostic Biomarkers for
Melanoma: A Meta-Analysis
Volume: 31
Issue: 31
Author(s): AmirHossein Aalami*, Hossein Abdeahad, Ali Mokhtari, Farnoosh Aalami, Amir Amirabadi, Ehsan Kargar Aliabadi, Omid Pirzade and Amirhossein Sahebkar*
Affiliation:
- Department of Nutrition and Integrative Physiology, College of Health, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
- Division of Nephrology and Hypertension, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Health, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
- Biotechnology Research Center, Pharmaceutical Technology Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- Applied Biomedical Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Keywords:
Malignant melanoma, circulating miRNAs, diagnostic, biomarker, skin cancer, ROC curve, meta-analysis.
Abstract:
Introduction: Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) serve as noninvasive diagnostic
markers in many cancers. This meta-analysis aims to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of circulating
microRNAs for melanoma.
Materials and Methods: The pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio, negative
likelihood ratio, diagnostic odds ratio, and ROC curve were evaluated using the Meta-Disc
V.1.4 and Comprehensive Meta-Analysis V.3.3 software packages. To investigate the heterogeneity,
the I2 and Chi-square tests were used. The publishing bias was evaluated using Begg’s
rank correlation and Egger regression asymmetry tests.
Results: A total of 9 articles covering 13 studies (more than 50 miRs individually and in combination)
were included, containing 1,355 participants (878 cases and 477 controls). The overall
pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio, negative likelihood ratio, diagnostic
odds ratio (DOR), and AUC were 0.78 (95% CI: 0.76-0.81), 0.80 (95% CI: 0.77-0.83),
4.32 (95% CI: 3.21-5.82), 0.17 (95% CI: 0.09-0.32), 28.0 (95% CI: 15.34-51.09), and 0.91, respectively.
According to Begg's and Egger's tests, there was no publication bias (Begg's p =
0.160 and Egger's p = 0.289).
Conclusion: Circulating miRNAs can serve as fair and non-invasive diagnostic biomarkers
for melanoma. Additionally, specific miRNAs still need to be discovered for diagnosing melanoma.
