title: The validity of circulating microRNAs in oncology: five years of challenges and contradictions.
abstract: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) in circulation have received an increasing amount of interest as potential minimal invasive diagnostic tools in oncology. Several diagnostic, prognostic and predictive signatures have been proposed for a variety of cancers at different stages of disease, but these have not been subjected to a critical review regarding their validity: reproducible identification in comparable studies and/or with different platforms of miRNA detection. In this review, we will critically address the results of circulating miRNA research in oncology that have been published between January 2008 and June 2013 (5.5 years), and discuss pre-analytical challenges, technological pitfalls and limitations that may contribute to the non-reproducibility of circulating miRNA research.
authors.affiliation: Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jarry
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Essen, Germany.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schadendorf
authors.affiliation: Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada; Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Department of Oncology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Department of Pathology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Greenwood
authors.affiliation: Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada; Department of Pathology, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada; Department of Oncology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Department of Pathology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Spatz
authors.affiliation: Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada; Department of Pathology, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada; Department of Pathology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada. Electronic address: Leon.vankempen@mcgill.ca.
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: van Kempen
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008495:Medical Oncology / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000097:blood*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D011379:Prognosis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D059467:Transcriptome
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D035683:MicroRNAs
keywords: Circulating microRNAs; Diagnostic tool; Meta-analysis; Oncology