Serum microRNA-210 as a predictive biomarker for treatment response and prognosis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma undergoing transarterial chemoembolization

摘要

Purpose To investigate whether serum microRNA-210 (miR-210) level can serve as an indicator of prognosis and a predictor of efficacy of transarterial chemoembolization in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Materials and Methods Serum miR-210 level was measured in 113 patients with HCC before transarterial chemoembolization (t1), 3 days after transarterial chemoembolization (t2), and 4 weeks after transarterial chemoembolization (t3) and compared with 39 healthy control subjects. The correlations between miR-210 levels and clinicopathologic factors, tumor responsiveness, and prognosis were analyzed. The modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors assessment was conducted at t3. Results A higher mean baseline miR-210 level was observed in patients with HCC compared with control subjects (3.69 ± 2.04 vs 1.08 ± 0.45, P <.001). A positive correlation between baseline miR-210 level and tumor size (P <.001), vascular invasion (P =.005), tumor differentiation (P =.037), and Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage (P <.001) was observed. Elevated baseline miR-210 level also served as an independent prognostic factor predicting poor overall survival (risk ratio, 2.082; P =.003). Patients who did not respond to transarterial chemoembolization had higher baseline miR-210 levels than patients who did respond to treatment (4.34 ± 1.67 vs 3.28 ± 2.15, P <.001). In addition, miR-210 levels increased significantly 4 weeks after transarterial chemoembolization in nonresponders (5.79 ± 2.06 at t3 vs 4.34 ± 1.67 at t1, P <.001), whereas no significant change was observed in responders (3.53 ± 2.20 at t3 vs 3.28 ± 2.15 at t1, P =.116). Lastly, an inverse correlation was identified between miR-210 change t1-t3 with the time to radiologic progression (P <.001). Conclusions Serum miR-210 may represent a novel biomarker for predicting efficacy of transarterial chemoembolization and overall survival for patients with HCC.