title: Decreased expression of microRNA-20a promotes tumor progression and predicts poor prognosis of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  MicroRNA-20a (miRNA-20a or miR-20a) plays a key role in tumorigenesis and progression. But the prognostic value of miR-20a in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) remains unclear. The aim of this study was to identify the association of miR-20a and the prognosis of CSCC patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  The miR-20a expression was detected using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) in 152 CSCC tissues and matched adjacent normal tissues. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analysis were utilized to determine the association of miR-20a with overall survival as well as the prognosis of CSCC patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The expression of miR-20a was lower in CSCC tissues compared with adjacent normal tissues (P=0.000). Moreover, the expression of miR-20a was closely correlated with TNM stage (P=0.013). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that patients with low miR-20a expression had significantly poorer overall survival than those with high miR-20a expression (P<0.05). Multivariate analysis revealed that miR-20a expression (P=0.001, HR=3.262, 95% CI: 1.635-6.520) could influence the prognosis and might be an independent prognostic predictor in CSCC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicated that low miR-20a expression was associated with tumor stage of CSCC and suggested that miR-20a expression would be a novel biomarker for predicting clinical outcomes in CSCC patients. The inhibition of miR-20a might even become a new therapeutic method for the treatment of CSCC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College Anhui, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Center for Laboratory Research, First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College Anhui, China.
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College Anhui, China.
authors.forename: Xuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College Anhui, China.
authors.forename: Liyong
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College Anhui, China.
authors.forename: Xuwen
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College Anhui, China.
authors.forename: Zhuyou
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xiong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C534451:MIRN20a microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs
keywords: MicroRNA-20a; cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma; prognosis