title: Circulating MicroRNAs as Biomarkers in Biliary Tract Cancers.
abstract: Biliary tract cancers (BTCs) are a group of highly aggressive malignant tumors with a poor prognosis. The current diagnosis is based mainly on imaging and intraoperative exploration due to brush cytology havinga low sensitivity and the standard markers, such as carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate 19-9 (CA19-9), not having enough sensitivity nor specificity to be used in a differential diagnosis and early stage detection. Thus, better non-invasive methods that can distinguish between normal and pathological tissue are needed. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, single-stranded non-coding RNA molecules of ~20-22 nucleotides that regulate relevant physiological mechanisms and can also be involved in carcinogenesis. Recent studies have demonstrated that miRNAs are detectable in multiple body fluids, showing great stability, either free or trapped in circulating microvesicles, such as exosomes. miRNAs are ideal biomarkers that may be used in screening and prognosis in biliary tract cancers, aiding also in the clinical decisions at different stages of cancer treatment. This review highlights the progress in the analysis of circulating miRNAs in serum, plasma and bile as potential diagnostic and prognostic markers of BTCs.
authors.affiliation: School of Health Sciences, Universidad Católica de Temuco, Manuel Montt 56, 4813302 Temuco, Chile. pletelier@uct.cl.
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Letelier
authors.affiliation: Molecular Pathology Laboratory, Department of Pathological Anatomy, School of Medicine, Universidad de La Frontera, Avenida Alemania 0458, 3rd Floor, 4810296 Temuco, Chile. ismael.riquelme.contreras@gmail.com.|Scientific and Technological Bioresource Nucleus (BIOREN), Universidad de La Frontera, Avenida Francisco Salazar 01145, Casilla, 54-D Temuco, Chile. ismael.riquelme.contreras@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ismael
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Riquelme
authors.affiliation: School of Health Sciences, Universidad Católica de Temuco, Manuel Montt 56, 4813302 Temuco, Chile. alfonso.hernandez@uct.cl.
authors.forename: Alfonso H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Hernández
authors.affiliation: School of Health Sciences, Universidad Católica de Temuco, Manuel Montt 56, 4813302 Temuco, Chile. nguzman@uct.cl.
authors.forename: Neftalí
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Guzmán
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Sciences, Universidad de La Frontera, 54-D Temuco, Chile. jorge.farias@ufrontera.cl.
authors.forename: Jorge G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Farías
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Centre for Investigational Oncology (CITO), Advanced Centre for Chronic Diseases (ACCDiS), Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Marcoleta 377, 7rd Floor, 8330024 Santiago, Chile. jcroa@med.puc.cl.
authors.forename: Juan Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Roa
mesh_terms: D001646:Bile / Q000737:chemistry; D001661:Biliary Tract Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000097:blood*; D010949:Plasma / Q000737:chemistry; D011379:Prognosis; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D044967:Serum / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D035683:MicroRNAs
keywords: biliary tract cancers; biomarkers; microRNAs