The utility of miRNA 221 & miRNA 199-a in the diagnosis of pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related mortality, with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) being the most common subtype. PDAC is often diagnosed at advanced stages due to lack of symptoms and reliable early biomarkers.

AIM: This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic utility of serum miRNA 221 and miRNA 199-a in PDAC and their association with disease progression. It also examined the correlation of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) with tumor resectability and disease progression.

METHODS

A total of 110 subjects (55 PDAC and 55 healthy controls) were recruited.Blood samples were collected to measure the serum miRNA 221, serum miRNA 199-a, neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR). Diagnosis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) was confirmed via endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle biopsy (EUS-FNB). Patients were followed for six months to monitor their disease progression.

RESULTS

Serum miRNA 221 and miRNA 199-a levels were significantly elevated in pancreatic adenocarcinoma patients (p = 0.009 and p = 0.001, respectively), with miRNA 221 correlating with tumor size (r = 0.343, p = 0.01). Advanced tumor stage (T3, T4) was linked to higher miRNA 221 and NLR levels (p = 0.017, p = 0.01). Additionally, lower NLR levels were associated with tumor resectability (p < 0.001) and improved survival (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that miRNA 221 and miRNA 199-a may serve as diagnostic markers for PDAC. While miRNA 221 and NLR are valuable prognostic indicators for tumor progression and patient survival in PDAC. Further validation in larger cohorts and across pancreatic and other gastrointestinal malignancies is needed.