title: A circulating miRNA assay as a first-line test for prostate cancer screening.
abstract: Prostate cancer (PCa) screening currently relies on prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing and digital rectal examination. However, recent large-scale studies have questioned the long-term efficacy of these tests, and biomarkers that accurately identify PCa are needed.
  
  
  
  We analysed the levels of circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) in patients with elevated PSA who were diagnosed with either localised PCa (n=36) or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH, n=31) upon biopsy. Real-time RT-PCR with Taqman probes was used to measure plasma levels of miRNAs. To circumvent problems associated with circulating miRNA quantitation, we computed the expression ratios of upregulated and downregulated miRNAs.
  
  
  
  The miR-106a/miR-130b and miR-106a/miR-223 ratios were significantly different between the biopsy-positive and BPH groups (P<0.0001), and yielded statistical power values that were >0.99. Both miRNA ratios were highly sensitive and more specific than PSA in discriminating localised PCa from BPH. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed area under curve values of 0.81 (miR-106a/miR-130b) and 0.77 (miR-106a/miR-223).
  
  
  
  Testing for circulating miR-106a/miR-130b and miR-106a/miR-223 ratios may reduce the costs and morbidity of unnecessary biopsies and is feasible for large-scale screening, as it requires measuring only three miRNAs.
authors.affiliation: Veneto Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, Immunology and Molecular Oncology Unit, via Gattamelata 64, 35128 Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Evgeniya
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sharova
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, via Gattamelata 64, 35128 Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grassi
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, via Gattamelata 64, 35128 Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marcer
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, via Gattamelata 64, 35128 Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Katia
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ruggero
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, University of Rome La Cattolica, Largo Francesco Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, University of Rome La Cattolica, Largo Francesco Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Pierfrancesco
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bassi
authors.affiliation: Veneto Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, Immunology and Molecular Oncology Unit, via Gattamelata 64, 35128 Padova, Italy.|Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, via Gattamelata 64, 35128 Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zanovello
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, via Gattamelata 64, 35128 Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Filiberto
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zattoni
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, via Ugo Bassi 58/B, 35121 Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Donna M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: D'Agostino
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, via Gattamelata 64, 35128 Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Iafrate
authors.affiliation: Veneto Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, Immunology and Molecular Oncology Unit, via Gattamelata 64, 35128 Padova, Italy.|Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, via Gattamelata 64, 35128 Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ciminale
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000097:blood*; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D035683:MicroRNAs