PROGNOSTIC SIGNIFICANCE OF microRNA-100, -125b, AND -200b IN PATIENTS WITH COLORECTAL CANCER.

Background: The discovery of new markers for colorectal cancer (CRC) is of paramount importance for improving the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of this disease. CRC is the third most common cancer worldwide and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Early detection and treatment are crucial for improving patient outcomes, but current screening methods are not foolproof. Additionally, there is a need for better prognostic markers to identify patients at high risk of recurrence or metastasis, who may benefit from more aggressive treatment.

Objectives: To analyze the expression profile of miR-100, miR-125b, and miR-200b in the blood serum of CRC patients and assess its correlation with the clinicopathological factors of cancer course.

Materials and methods: Twenty blood serum samples from CRC patients were analyzed by the real-time polymerase chain reaction for miR-100, miR-125b, and miR-200b expressions. The results were normalized and then analyzed using statistical tests.

Results: According to our results, miR-125b and -200b expressions correlate with T (r = -0.51 and 0.6, respectively, p < 0.05) and N (r = 0.47 and -0.52, respectively, p < 0.05). Also, miR-125b levels were 1.56 times higher and mir- 200b - 1.59 times lower in patients with metastases in the regional lymph nodes.

Conclusions: Observed levels of miR-125b and -200b in correlation with tumor stage and lymph node metastasis among CRC patients demonstrate their potential clinical utility as minimally invasive biomarkers for the prognosis of cancer course. Therefore, further validation studies with larger participant cohorts are necessary.