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Gastric Juice MicroRNAs as Potential Biomarkers for Screening Gastric Cancer: A Systematic Review.

By: Edoardo Virgilio, Enrico Giarnieri, Maria Rosaria Giovagnoli, Monica Montagnini, Antonella Proietti, Rosaria D'Urso, Paolo Mercantini, Genoveffa Balducci, Marco Cavallini

Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Translational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza University, St. Andrea Hospital, Rome, Italy aresedo1992@yahoo.it edoardo.virgilio@uniroma1.it.
2017-11-17; doi: 10.21873/anticanres.12265

Abstract

Background/aim

To date, the combination of gastroscopy with biopsy remains the only test validated for screening gastric cancer (GC). Currently, analysis of circulating microRNAs (miRNAs or miRs) is providing interesting information on GC prognosis, but since these molecules are shared by several types of cancer, its clinical use could be questionable and difficult. MicroRNAs in gastric juice (GJ) could represent a cogent alternative to screening GC by biopsy.

Materials

We investigated the pertinent literature dealing with GC GJ microRNAs through four popular search engines (PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus and Google Scholar).

Results

As of 2017, only four studies had been published and were all from Chinese experience. MiR-421, miR-129, miR-21, miR-106a and miR-133a were the five molecules studied in the GJ of the enrolled patients.

Conclusion

The GJ miRNA test is reliable and reproducible. The discussed GJ miRNAs appear to be new potential biomarkers for the screening of GC.