Role of microRNAs in Predicting the Prognosis of Cervical Cancer Cases: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Aim: There is growing evidence for the possible use of microRNAs (miRNAs) in cancers as diagnostic as well as prognostic biomarkers in the present era of Personalized Medicine. The objective of the present systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess the prognostic role of microRNAs in uterine cervical cancers. Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis was carried out searching electronic databases for published articles between January 2009 and August 2020 based on standard systematic review guidelines. Meta-analysis was performed by pooling the hazard ratio (HR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) to assess the prognostic value of deregulated miRNAs by the random-effects model. Results: In the present meta-analysis, the aberrant expression of 14 microRNAs in 1,526 uterine cervical cancer cases before definitive therapy from 14 case-control studies were assessed. The pooled HR of two miRNAs, miRNA-155 and miRNA-224 which were upregulated in cervical cancer tissues was 1.76 (95% CI 1.27-2.45) revealing significant association with overall poor survival. Meanwhile, the pooled HR was 1.53 (95% CI 0.94-2.94) when all the deregulated miRNAs in cervical cancer tissues were evaluated. The pooled HR of downregulated miRNAs was 1.46 (95% CI 0.81, 2.64). Meanwhile, the pooled HR of three upregulated miRNAs-425-5p, 196a, 205 in the serum sample was 1.37 (95% CI 0.45 -4.20). Conclusion: The downregulation of aberrant miRNAs was not associated with poor overall survival rates.

Role of noncoding RNAs with emphasis on long noncoding RNAs as cervical cancer biomarkers

“…The figure depicts aberrantly expressed miRNAs in cervical cancer tissues or serum of cervical cancer patients 18 …”

“…LncRNAs modulate specific miRNAs, further complicating the primary molecular mechanism. Upon literature review, a sparse number of studies have reported HPV association and specific miRNA profiling despite miRNA aberration being extensively studied in human cancers 18 . Deregulation of miRNAs in cervical cancer was mainly attributed to high‐risk HPV infection.…”

“…32 F I G U R E 1 The figure depicts aberrantly expressed miRNAs in cervical cancer tissues or serum of cervical cancer patients. 18 Circulating microRNAs in serum, plasma, and urine are stable and can be used as specific miRNA biomarkers in preinvasive cervical lesions and invasive cervical cancers. 33 However, published studies are highly heterogeneous, and there are no validated quantitative assays.…”

“…There is uncertainty regarding the molecular mechanisms of cervical cancer even after the demonstration of the viral etiology by Harald zur Hausen in 1983. 18 The present review focuses on recent concepts on the molecular pathogenesis of cervical cancers other than E6/E7 oncoproteins.…”

Disease progression role as well as the diagnostic and prognostic value of microRNA-21 in patients with cervical cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis

“…The upregulated expression of microRNA-21 in cervical cancer and its importance as a diagnostic and/or prognostic role have been investigated in numerous studies, yet given the inconsistency on some of the findings, a systematic review and meta-analysis is needed. Besides, there is a growing need and realistic potential for non-invasive diagnostic and prognostic molecular cancer biomarkers for early detection, and monitoring the recurrence of cervical cancer [ 46 , 47 ]. Therefore, the aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to investigate the role in disease progression as well as the diagnostic and prognostic value of microRNA-21 in patients with cervical cancer.…”