title: Analysis of small nucleolar RNAs in sputum for lung cancer diagnosis.
abstract: Molecular analysis of sputum presents a noninvasive approach for diagnosis of lung cancer. We have shown that dysregulation of small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) plays a vital role in lung tumorigenesis. We have also identified six snoRNAs whose changes are associated with lung cancer. Here we investigated if analysis of the snoRNAs in sputum could provide a potential tool for diagnosis of lung cancer. Using qRT-PCR, we determined expressions of the six snoRNAs in sputum of a training set of 59 lung cancer patients and 61 cancer-free smokers to develop a biomarker panel, which was validated in a testing set of 67 lung cancer patients and 69 cancer-free smokers for the diagnostic performance. The snoRNAs were robustly measurable in sputum. In the training set, a panel of two snoRNA biomarkers (snoRD66 and snoRD78) was developed, producing 74.58% sensitivity and 83.61% specificity for identifying lung cancer. The snoRNA biomarkers had a significantly higher sensitivity (74.58%) compared with sputum cytology (45.76%) (P < 0.05). The changes of the snoRNAs were not associated with stage and histology of lung cancer (All P >0.05). The performance of the biomarker panel was confirmed in the testing cohort. We report for the first time that sputum snoRNA biomarkers might be useful to improve diagnosis of lung cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Su
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Jeipi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Lu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Maria A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Guarnera
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhan
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: HongBin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Sanford A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Stass
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics; D020537:RNA, Small Nucleolar / Q000235:genetics*; D013183:Sputum / Q000166:cytology*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D020537:RNA, Small Nucleolar
keywords: Pathology Section; biomarkers; diagnosis; lung cancer; snoRNAs; sputum