title: Serum microRNA-15a level acts as a potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Clinical significance of microRNA (miR)-15a in human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains unclear.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the expression level of miR-15a and to determine its potential for diagnosis and prognosis in ESCC.
  
  
  METHODS
  Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was performed to examine the expression levels of miR-15a in ESCC tissues and patients' sera. The diagnostic and prognostic implications of serum miR-15a level in human ESCC were further evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Expression levels of miR-15a in ESCC tissues and patients' sera were significantly decreased (both P< 0.001). Additionally, serum miR-15a had an optimal diagnostic cut-off point (2.29) for ESCC with sensitivity of 86.36% and specificity of 100.00%. Moreover, low serum miR-15a level more frequently occurred in ESCC patients with advanced tumor-node-metastasis, T and N stages (all P= 0.01) and poor tumor differentiation (P= 0.03). The Kaplan-Meier curve showed that low miR-15a expression was significantly associated with shorter overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) of ESCC patients (both P< 0.001). Further multivariate analysis identified miR-15a as an independent prognostic factor for both OS and DFS (both P= 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Decreased expression of miR-15a may play a crucial role in ESCC development and progression. Serum miR-15a level could be used as a potential diagnostic and prognostic marker in clinics.
authors: Department of Radiology, Putuo Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.|Department of Radiology, Putuo Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors: Jialin
authors: J
authors: Li
authors: Department of Radiology, Huadong Hospital Affliated to Fudan University, Shanghai, China.|Department of Radiology, Putuo Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors: Ming
authors: M
authors: Li
authors: Department of Radiology, Huadong Hospital Affliated to Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors: Feng
authors: F
authors: Gao
authors: Department of Radiology, Huadong Hospital Affliated to Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors: Xiaojun
authors: X
authors: Ge
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics; D000077277:Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C505361:MIRN15 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs
keywords: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma; clinicopathological feature; diagnosis; microRNA-15a; prognosis