Searching for candidate microRNA biomarkers in detection of breast cancer: a meta-analysis.
BACKGROUND
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are recognized as potential biomarkers for detection of breast cancer. Many experiments have been done to explore the aberrant expression of circulating miRNAs in breast cancer patients. However, an overwhelming number of miRNAs are identified and some expression characteristics are inconsistent between studies.


OBJECTIVE
To distinguish the candidates for breast cancer detection from spurious miRNAs.


METHODS
One solution is to take the intersections between studies. As repeated efforts can improve reliability and reduce error, valuable candidate miRNAs in this study are defined as those validated and consistently reported by multiple studies. Data validated by real-time PCR (RT-PCR) were collected, and the most frequently reported miRNAs with consistent regulation were identified by using a vote-counting strategy based on the number of relevant studies, total sample size and fold change.


RESULTS
The top four miRNAs (miR-21, -155, -222 and -10b) are consistently regulated in comparisons of the pre-operative patients and the control group. And blood sample type was found to affect the regulation characteristics of miRNAs.


CONCLUSIONS
MiR-21, -155, -222 and -10b are reliable candidate biomarkers for detection of breast cancer.
Department of General Surgery, Jiangsu Provincial Tumor Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
Mengmeng
M
Lv
Department of General Surgery, Nanjing Gulou Hospital Affiliated to Medical College of Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
Xingya
X
Zhu
Department of General Surgery, Jiangsu Provincial Tumor Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
Weixian
W
Chen
Department of General Surgery, Jiangsu Provincial Tumor Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
Jianhua
J
Zhao
Department of General Surgery, Jiangsu Provincial Tumor Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
Jinhai
J
Tang
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D015854:Up-Regulation
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D035683:MicroRNAs
Breast cancer; biomarker; microRNA; real time-PCR