title: MicroRNA gene expression signatures in long-surviving malignant pleural mesothelioma patients.
abstract: Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a tumor originating in the mesothelium, the membrane lining the thoracic cavities, and is induced by exposure to asbestos. Australia suffers one of the world's highest rates of MPM and the incidence is yet to peak. The prognosis for patients with MPM is poor and median survival following diagnosis is 4-18 months. Currently, no or few effective therapies exist for MPM. Trials of targeted agents such as antiangiogenic agents (VEGF, EGFR) or ribonuclease inhibitors (ranpirnase) largely failed to show efficacy in MPM Tsao et al. (2009) [1]. A recent study, however, showed that cisplatin/pemetrexed + bevacizumab (a recombinant humanized monoclonal antibody that inhibit VEGF) treatment has a survival benefit of 2.7 months Zalcman et al. (2016) [2]. It remains to be seen if this targeted therapy will be accepted as a new standard for MPM. Thus the unmet needs of MPM patients remain very pronounced and almost every patient will be confronted with drug resistance and recurrence of disease. We have identified unique gene signatures associated with prolonged survival in mesothelioma patients undergoing radical surgery (EPP, extrapleural pneumonectomy), as well as patients who underwent palliative surgery (pleurectomy/decortication). In addition to data published in Molecular Oncology, 2015;9:715-26 (GSE59180) Kirschner et al. (2015) , we describe here additional data using a system-based approach that support our previous observations. This data provides a resource to further explore microRNA dynamics in MPM.
authors.affiliation: Asbestos Diseases Research Institute, Sydney, Australia; School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales, NSW, 2052, Australia.
authors.forename: Ruby C Y
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Asbestos Diseases Research Institute, Sydney, Australia; Division of Thoracic Surgery, University Hospital Zurich, 8091 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Michaela B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Kirschner
authors.affiliation: Asbestos Diseases Research Institute, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Yuen Yee
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Asbestos Diseases Research Institute, Sydney, Australia; Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, NSW, 2000, Australia.
authors.forename: Nico
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: van Zandwijk
authors.affiliation: Asbestos Diseases Research Institute, Sydney, Australia; Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, NSW, 2000, Australia.
authors.forename: Glen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Reid
keywords: Mesothelioma; Pathway; Systems biology; Therapeutic agents; microRNA