title: Circulating miR-221 expression level and prognosis of cutaneous malignant melanoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of using serum miR-221 as a noninvasive prognostic biomarker for cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM).
  
  
  METHODS
  We measured the expression levels of miR-221 in serum samples from 72 CMM patients and 54 healthy controls by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. The differences between the survival curves were tested by using the log-rank test. The COX proportional hazards regression model was used to determine the joint effects of several variables on survival.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The serum miR-221 levels were significantly higher in patients with CMM than in healthy controls (p<0.0001). Patients with high serum miR-221 levels had a significantly lower 5-year OS rate (22.1% vs. 54.6%; P=0.018) and RFS rate (12.5% vs. 45.2%; P=0.008) than those with low serum miR-221 level. In a multivariate Cox model, we found that miR-221 expression was an independent predictor of poor 5-year OS (hazards ratio [HR]=3.189, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.782-6.777, P=0.007) and 5-year DFS (HR=2.119, CI=1.962-8.552, P=0.01) in CMM patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data indicate that serum miR-221 expression level has prognostic value in patients with CMM.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cosmetic Surgery, Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China (mainland).
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Cosmetic Surgery, Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Changsha, China (mainland).
authors.forename: Quan-yong
authors.initials: QY
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Department of Cosmetic Surgery, Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Changsha, China (mainland).
authors.forename: Chen-qun
authors.initials: CQ
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Changsha, China (mainland).
authors.forename: Li-yuan
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Qian
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012878:Skin Neoplasms; D016019:Survival Analysis; D000096142:Cutaneous Malignant Melanoma
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs; C525709:MIR221, human