title: Prognostic impact of circulating miR-21 in the plasma of patients with gastric carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  MicroRNAs (miRNAs) such as miR-17-5p, miR-21, miR-106a and miR-106b are reported to be highly expressed in gastric carcinoma (GC) tissues. Recently, we reported that these miRNAs were consistently detectable in plasma and reflected tumor dynamics of GC. We hypothesized that these plasma miRNA concentrations could be used as prognostic markers in patients with GC.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 2008 and 2009, preoperative plasma samples were collected from 69 consecutive patients with GC at our hospital. We retrospectively examined the association between plasma miRNA concentrations and prognosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The postoperative cause-specific survival rate of patients with high plasma miR-21 concentration was significantly poorer than those with a low concentration (p=0.0451), as was that of those with high plasma concentration of miR-106a (p=0.1132). There were no prognostic differences according to the plasma concentration of miR-17-5p and miR-106b. Those with high miR-21 concentration had also a slightly higher incidence of vascular invasion (p=0.0311). Multivariate analysis revealed that the presence of a high miR-21 concentration in plasma was an independent prognostic factor (p=0.0133, hazard ratio: 13.4 (95% CI: 1.72-104.4)).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The level of circulating miR-21 could be a reliable prognostic marker in the plasma of patients with GC. These findings contribute to the stratification of patients in order to identify those who need meticulous follow-up for early detection of recurrence and additional or alternative treatments of GC.
authors.affiliation: Division of Digestive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465 Kajii-cho, Kawaramachihirokoji, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto 602-8566, Japan. skomatsu@koto.kpu-m.ac.jp
authors.forename: Shuhei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Komatsu
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ichikawa
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tsujiura
authors.forename: Hirotaka
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Konishi
authors.forename: Hiroki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takeshita
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nagata
authors.forename: Tsutomu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kawaguchi
authors.forename: Shoji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hirajima
authors.forename: Tomohiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Arita
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shiozaki
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kubota
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fujiwara
authors.forename: Kazuma
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Okamoto
authors.forename: Eigo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Otsuji
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C542541:MIRN106 microRNA, human; C524941:MIRN17 microRNA, human; C524940:MIRN21 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs