title: Saliva supernatant miR-21: a novel potential biomarker for esophageal cancer detection.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify whether saliva supernatant miR-21 can serve as a novel potential biomarker in patients with esophageal cancer (EC).
  
  
  METHODS
  32 patients with EC and 16 healthy controls were recruited in this study. Total RNA was extracted from saliva supernatant samples for measurement of miR-21 levels using RT-qPCR and relationships between miR-21 levels and clinical characteristics of EC patients were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  miR-21 was significantly higher in the EC than control groups. The sensitivity and specificity were 84.4% and 62.5% respectively. Supernatant miR-21 levels showed no significant correlation with cancer stage, differentiation and nodal metastasis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Saliva supernatant miR-21 may be a novel biomarker for EC.
authors: Department of Gastroenterology, Guangdong General Hospital, Guangzhou, China. zijunli2005@yahoo.com.cn
authors: Zi-Jun
authors: ZJ
authors: Xie
authors: Gang
authors: G
authors: Chen
authors: Xu-Chao
authors: XC
authors: Zhang
authors: Dong-Feng
authors: DF
authors: Li
authors: Jian
authors: J
authors: Huang
authors: Zi-Jun
authors: ZJ
authors: Li
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D035683:MicroRNAs