Circulating miRNA-30a and miRNA-221 as Novel Biomarkers for the Early Detection of Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer

Background: Detecting non-small-cell lung cancer at an early stage has become a great challenge due to the lack of a specific non-invasive marker. MicroRNAs are small, non-coding RNA molecules that play a role in carcinogenesis and cancer progression, as indicated by their abnormal expression in the patients’ plasma. Herein, we investigated the plasma level of circulating miRNA-30a and miRNA-221 as non-invasive markers for an early detection of non-small-cell lung cancer. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Assiut University Hospital, Egypt, to investigate miRNA-30a and miRNA-221 expression via quantitative real-time PCR in the plasma of patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (n=70) and healthy controls (n=34). Receiver operating curves were used to evaluate the diagnostic value of miRNA-221 and miRNA-30a in non-small-cell lung cancer. The relationship between both markers and patient clinical parameters was further assessed. Result: Circulating plasma miRNA-30a and miRNA-221 levels were significantly higher in the non-small-cell lung cancer patients compared with those in the healthy controls (P