Expression of miR-146a in patients with ovarian cancer and its clinical significance

• Published in: Oncology letters Vol. 14; no. 3; pp. 3207 - 3214
• Main Authors: Wilczyński, Miłosz, Żytko, Ewelina, Szymańska, Bożena, Dzieniecka, Monika, Nowak, Marek, Danielska, Justyna, Stachowiak, Grzegorz, Wilczyński, Jacek R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Greece D.A. Spandidos 01.09.2017; Spandidos Publications; Spandidos Publications UK Ltd
• Subjects: Antigens; Apoptosis; Breast cancer; cancer antigen 125; Cancer therapies; Care and treatment; Chemokines; chemoresistance; Chemotherapy; Clinical significance; Cytokines; Development and progression; Gene expression; Genetic aspects; Growth factors; Gynecology; Health aspects; Kinases; Medical prognosis; Metastasis; MicroRNA; microRNA-146a; Obstetrics; Ovarian cancer; Patients; risk of malignancy algorithm; Signal transduction; Studies; Surgery; survival; Thyroid gland; Transcription factors; Tumors; microRNA-146a; chemoresistance; cancer antigen 125; ovarian cancer; risk of malignancy algorithm; survival
• ISSN: 1792-1074; 1792-1082
• DOI: 10.3892/ol.2017.6477

The aim of the present retrospective study was to compare microRNA (miR)-146a expression levels in primary tumors and omental metastases of 48 patients, who had undergone surgery for advanced ovarian serous cancer. Possible correlations between miR-146a expression level and clinicopathological features were investigated, including chemosensitivity and survival. miR-146a was evaluated in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded samples. miR-146a expression level in primary tumors was demonstrated to be increased in comparison with normal ovary tissues (P=0.02) and metastases (P=0.01). A negative correlation was demonstrated between miR-146a expression in primary tumors and serum levels of cancer antigen 125 (R=−0.37; P=0.03) and Risk of Malignancy Algorithm index (R=−0.79; P=0.0007). Overall survival positively correlated with miR-146a expression in primary tumor tissue samples (R=0.38; P=0.01). Probability of survival was decreased in patients with low miR-146a expression levels in primary tumor tissues (hazard ratio=0.21; P=0.003). Lower levels of miR-146a in primary tumor tissue samples were correlated with a shorter progression-free survival (P=0.04) and platinum-resistance of metastases (P=0.006). In conclusion, miR-146a may be a prognostic marker for serous ovarian cancer.