title: A comparative analysis of total serum miRNA profiles identifies novel signature that is highly indicative of metastatic melanoma: a pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Quantification of circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) has recently become feasible and reliable, with most efforts focusing on miRNAs overexpressed by cancer cells.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Identification of a characteristic circulating miRNAs profile in melanoma patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a pilot study comprised of unbiased qPCR comparison of serum miRNA profiles between metastatic melanoma patients and healthy donors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Loss of two normal serum-miRNAs, miR-29c and miR-324-3p, is highly indicative of metastatic melanoma. Hierarchical clustering analysis supported the results and clearly distinguished melanoma patients from healthy donors, metastatic colon and renal cancer patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This approach is independent of tumor heterogeneity and is expected to have superior biomarker performances.
authors.affiliation: Ella Institute of Melanoma, Sheba Medical Center , Ramat-Gan , Israel .
authors.forename: Eyal
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Greenberg
authors.forename: Michal J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Besser
authors.forename: Eytan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ben-Ami
authors.forename: Ronnie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shapira-Frommer
authors.forename: Orit
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Itzhaki
authors.forename: Dragoslav
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zikich
authors.forename: Daphna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Levy
authors.forename: Adva
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kubi
authors.forename: Eran
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Eyal
authors.forename: Amir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Onn
authors.forename: Yehudit
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: Iris
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Barshack
authors.forename: Jacob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schachter
authors.forename: Gal
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Markel
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000097:blood*; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D010865:Pilot Projects; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D035683:MicroRNAs