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Two segments of microRNA predicted thyroid cancer recurrence
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MicroRNA-222 and microRNA-146b tumor overexpression were associated with an increased risk for papillary thyroid cancer recurrence after surgery, according to study results.
Preoperative plasma levels of microRNA-222 and microRNA-146b also were associated with an increased risk for recurrence in patients with papillary thyroid cancer without metastasis, as well as in those with multinodular goiter compared with controls, the researchers wrote.
The analysis included four cohorts of patients.
Researchers compared tissue microRNA expression between one cohort of nine patients with recurrent papillary thyroid cancer (mean age, 57 years) and another of 17 patients without recurrence (mean age, 44 years).
Median follow-up was significantly longer for patients with recurrence (72 months vs. 24 months; P=.03).
The results showed tumors associated with recurrence had a 10.8-fold increase of microRNA-222 (P=.014)and 8.9-fold increase of microRNA-146b (P=.038) expression compared with nonrecurrent tumors.
Additional analyses indicated that all tumors associated with recurrence carried a BRAF mutation vs. 69% of nonrecurrent tumors (P=.12). BRAF-mutated tumors were associated with a 35-fold increase in microRNA-146b expression (P=.0025), a 13-fold increase in microRNA-222 expression (P=.012) and a 6.5-fold increase in microRNA-221 expression (P=.005).
Researchers then compared plasma microRNA levels before and after thyroidectomy in a cohort of patients with papillary thyroid cancer without lateral lymph node or distant metastasis (n=42) and a cohort of patients with multinodular goiter (n=36).
The mean age of patients without metastasis was significantly younger than those with multinodular goiter (49 years vs. 60 years; P<.001).
Analysis of postoperative plasma was available from 32 patients without metastasis and 24 patients with multinodular goiter.
Baseline levels of plasma microRNA-221 (P=.011), microRNA-222 (P=.004) and microRNA-146b (P=.001) were significantly higher in the preoperative cohort without metastasis than in controls.
Postoperative levels of microRNA-221 decreased 10.8-fold (P=.017), microRNA-222 decreased 2.7-fold (P=.034) and microRNA-146b decreased 5.1-fold (P=.032) in these patients compared with their preoperative levels.
Preoperative baseline levels of microRNA-221 (P=.019), microRNA-222 (P=.004) and microRNA-146b (P=.003) also were significantly higher in the multinodular goiter cohort compared with control levels and decreased significantly (microRNA-221, P=.05; microRNA-222, P=.016; mircroRNA-146b, P=.011).
Overall, researchers found no significant differences in microRNA expression between the cohorts without metastasis and with multinodular goiter.
“This suggests that we may be able to track the presence of papillary thyroid cancer by a microRNA blood test,” study researcher James Lee, MBBS, FRACS, PhD candidate at the Kolling Institute of Medical Research and University of Sydney in Australia, said in a press release. “This kind of test may help doctors select which patients may need more aggressive additional treatment after surgery, or be monitored more closely after initial treatment.”
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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