title: Tumor-Associated CSF MicroRNAs for the Prediction and Evaluation of CNS Malignancies.
abstract: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is a readily reachable body fluid that is reflective of the underlying pathological state of the central nervous system (CNS). Hence it has been targeted for biomarker discovery for a variety of neurological disorders. CSF is also the major route for seeding metastases of CNS malignancies and its analysis could be informative for diagnosis and risk stratification of brain cancers. Recently, modern high-throughput, microRNAs (miRNAs) measuring technology has enabled sensitive detection of distinct miRNAs that are bio-chemicallystable in the CSF and can distinguish between different types of CNS cancers. Owing to the fact that a CSF specimen can be obtained with relative ease, analysis of CSF miRNAs could be a promising contribution to clinical practice. In this review, we examine the current scientific knowledge on tumor associated CSF miRNAs that could guide diagnosis of different brain cancer types, or could be helpful in predicting disease progression and therapy response. Finally, we highlight their potential applications clinically as biomarkers and discuss limitations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, University Children's Hospital, CH-8032 Zurich, Switzerland. tarek.shalaby@kispi.uzh.ch.
authors.forename: Tarek
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shalaby
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, University Children's Hospital, CH-8032 Zurich, Switzerland. michael.grotzer@kispi.uzh.ch.
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Grotzer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D035683:MicroRNAs
keywords: CNS cancers; biomarkers; cerebrospinal fluid; microRNA