title: Increased Expression of MicroRNA-221 in gastric cancer and its clinical significance.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  MicroRNA-221 (miR-221), which is located on chromosome X, is an oncogenic microRNA that is involved in several human malignancies. This study aimed to characterize the role of miR-221 in the initiation and malignant progression of gastric cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  The level of miR-221  expression in 92 pairs of primary gastric tumour tissue and adjacent nontumour tissue was quantified by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. The relationship between the miR-221 level and clinicopathological features was explored.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MiR-221 was up-regulated  in 88% (81/92) of gastric cancer tissue samples compared with their paired adjacent nontumour tissue samples. High expression of miR-221 showed a significant correlation with advanced tumour-node-metastasis stage, local invasion and lymphatic metastasis. Univariate and multivariate  Cox proportional hazard regression analyses revealed that miR-221 overexpression was an unfavourable prognostic factor for overall survival in patients with gastric cancer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that miR-221 is a novel prognostic indicator in gastric cancer and may be a potential  target for diagnosis and gene therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Diao
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000235:genetics; D011379:Prognosis; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D035683:MicroRNAs; C525709:MIR221, human