Diagnostic efficacy of serum microRNAs in predicting pathology of retroperitoneal lymph node dissection in patients with testicular germ cell tumors: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of serum microRNAs in predicting pathologic findings of retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND) in patients with testicular germ cell tumors (TGCT).

Methods: PUBMED, SCOPUS, and Cochrane Library were searched in August 2024 to identify eligible studies according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA 2020) guidelines.

Results: Nine studies comprising 603 patients were selected in this review. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) of microRNA-371a-3p for predicting viable tumor other than pure teratoma in RPLND specimen were 0.76 (95% CI 0.49-0.90), 0.97 (95% CI 0.81-0.99) and 31.75 (95% CI 9.24-109.10), respectively. The pooled sensitivity for primary and post-chemotherapy RPLND (PC-RPLND), were 0.77 (95% CI 0.47-0.93) and 0.73 (95% CI 0.28-0.95), respectively. The pooled specificity for primary and PC-RPLND were 0.92 (95% CI 0.72-0.98) and 0.99 (95% CI 0.62-1.00), respectively. The pooled DOR for primary and PC-RPLND were 13.86 (95% CI 2.97-64.79) and 64.11 (95% CI 13.09-313.98), respectively. The major limitation is the lack of standardization of miR371 testing.

Conclusion: miR-371a-3p is a relatively sensitive and highly specific marker for predicting viable tumors in RPLND pathologic findings. The DOR was particularly significant for patients who underwent PC-RPLND. While serum microRNAs may be useful in distinguishing viable germ cell tumors from necrosis, fibrosis, and teratomas, their ability to differentiate teratomas from necrosis is limited. Well-designed prospective studies are essential to enhance our understanding of the predictive performance of microRNAs.