Value of miR200b and its combination with other biochemical markers in the diagnosis of epithelial ovarian cancer

Objective This study aimed to analyse the diagnostic performance of miR200b in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) in a group of Egyptian patients and to evaluate the combined use of miR200b with other biomarkers as a reliable diagnostic and prognostic indicator of EOC. Methods We tested the expression of cell-free miR200b in 30 EOC patients before undergoing optimum cytoreductive surgery, 19 females with benign ovarian disease and 14 normal healthy females using quantitative real time PCR. All cases were tested for CA125, HE4 and CRP. The results were compared between the three groups. The double combination of miR200b with each biomarker was tested for a possible improvement of the diagnostic power of the test. Results MiR200b was significantly overexpressed in EOC patients compared to the other groups, we determined 1.88 folds as the best cutoff for miR200b expression to discriminate between EOC and non-malignant cases with a sensitivity of 63.3% and a specificity of 71%. CA125, HE4 and CRP were evaluated and showed a sensitivity of 96.7%, 45.5%, 81.8% respectively and a specificity of 75.9%, 66.7% and 90% respectively. We evaluated the combined use of miR200b with each biomarker, the best results were seen with the combined use of miR200b and CA125. Conclusion We concluded that the combined use of miR200b and CA125 could serve as a reliable tool in the initial diagnosis of EOC, and a predictor of event free survival of the disease.