Table 2.
A list of representative circulating miRNAs of prognostic value in colorectal cancer patients
| miRNA | Method of detection | Patient number | Observations and correlation with clinical outcome | Ref. |
| miR-21 | qRT-PCR | 102 | Lower serum expressions were associated with higher local recurrence and mortality | [197] |
| miR-23b | qRT-PCR | 96 | CRC patients with low miR-23b expression in plasma exhibited a shorter recurrence-free survival and poorer overall survival rate | [198] |
| miR-96 | TaqMan miRNA microarray | 50 (screening); 234 (validation) | Elevated plasma levels were strongly correlated with shorter OS, especially in stage II and III CRC patients | [199] |
| miR-124-5p | qRT-PCR | 71 | Higher plasma levels were correlated with longer OS | [200] |
| miR-141 | qRT-PCR | 102 | High plasma levels were significantly associated with stage IV colon cancer and poor prognosis | [70] |
| miR-148a | qRT-PCR | 55 | Lower levels were associated significantly with shorter DFS and poorer OS rates | [201] |
| miR-155 | qRT-PCR | 146 | High serum levels correlated with poor PFS and OS | [202] |
| miR-183 | qRT-PCR | 118 | High plasma levels were significantly associated with lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, higher TNM staging, and tumor recurrence | [203] |
| miR-200b | TaqMan miRNA microarray | 50 (screening); 234 (validation) | Elevated plasma levels were correlated with shorter OS, especially in stage II and III CRC patients | [199] |
| miR-200c | qRT-PCR | 182 CRC patients and 24 controls | High serum expressions were strongly correlated with lymph node, distant metastasis, tumor recurrence and poor prognosis. | [204] |
| miR-203 | qRT-PCR | 144 (validation) | High serum levels were associated with poor survival and metastasis; | [205] |
| miR-218 | qRT-PCR | 189 | Serum levels were significantly associated with TNM stage, lymph node metastasis and differentiation. Patients with low miR-218 serum level had shorter survival. | [206] |
| miR-221 | qRT-PCR | 103 | Elevated plasma level is a significant prognostic factor for poor overall survival in CRC patients | [207] |
| miR-345 | TaqMan miRNA microarray | 138 | High plasma levels were significantly associated with shorter PFS and lack of response to treatment with cetuximab and irinotecan | [108] |
| miR-885-5p | miRNA microarray, qRT-PCR | 169 | High serum expressions were highly correlated with poor prognosis, lymph node metastasis and distant metastasis | [208] |
| miR-1290 | miRNA microarray, qRT-PCR | 324 | High serum levels were associated with lower OS, lower DFS and more advanced tumor stage | [209] |
| 2-miRNA prognostic panel (miR-23a-3p & miR-376c-3p) | miRNA microarray | 427 | A prognostic panel consisting of miR-23a-3p and miR-376c-3p, independent of TNM stage, was established | [210] |
| miR-200 & miR-141 | qRT-PCR | 380 | High serum levels of miR-200 and miR-141 were associated with higher propensity of CRC patients to develop liver metastasis | [211] |
| miR-122 & miR-200 family | miRNA microarray | 543 | Increased plasma miR-122 levels were associated with a “bad” prognostic subtype in metastatic CRC and a shorter relapse-free survival and overall survival for non-metastatic and metastatic CRC patients. Several members of the miR-200 family were associated with patients’ prognosis and clinicopathological characteristics | [212] |
OS : Overall survival; DFS: Disease free survival; PFS : Progression free survival; CRC: Colorectal cancer; TNM: Tumor, node, and metastasis.