micro RNA profiling for early detection of nonmelanoma skin cancer.

Background micro RNAs (mi RNAs) are single-stranded, noncoding RNA molecules. Given the vast regulatory potential of mi RNAs and their often tissue-specific and disease-specific expression patterns, mi RNAs are being assessed as possible biomarkers to aid diagnosis and prediction of different types and stages of cancers, including skin cancer. Basal cell carcinoma ( BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma ( SCC) are the most common forms of nonmelanoma skin cancer ( NMSC). BCC originates from the basal layer of the epidermis, while SCC arises from epidermal keratinocytes or from the dermal appendages. Although NMSCs are currently the most common types of malignancies, both BCC and SCC have a better than 95% cure rate if detected early. Aim To identify plasma mi RNAs suitable for early detection of NMSC. Methods Expression profiles of 741 mi RNAs were evaluated using high-throughput real-time quantitative PCR from plasma samples in 42 patients with NMSC and 282 healthy controls ( HCs). Results Our results demonstrated that in patients with NMSC, compared with HCs, expression levels of miR-30e-3p, miR-145-5p, miR-186-5p and miR-875-5p were significantly ( P < 0.05) upregulated, while those of miR-19a-3p, miR-25-3p, miR-30a-5p, miR-451 and miR-576-3p were significantly downregulated. Conclusion Our study suggests that the mi RNAs with significant changes in expression (miR-19a-3p, miR-25-3p, miR-30a-5p, miR-145-5p and miR-186-5p) could serve as novel noninvasive biomarkers for detection of NMSC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]