Figure 1.

Part A summarizes the workflow of the retrospective study conducted on serum sample from 70 BRAF-mutant melanoma patients. Box plot graphs based on miRNA expression show that miR-4488 (oncomiRNA) and miR-579-3p (oncosuppressor miRNA) were the only significantly deregulated between melanoma patients had achieved a disease control (DC: stable disease, partial/complete response) as best tumor response, and those who underwent disease progression (PD) before starting therapy (B). Moreover we observed that the expression of miR-579-3p progressively decreased among patients splitted according the four RECIST criteria i.e. CR, PR, SD and PD (C, right panel). In contrast the highest expression levels of miR-4488 were found in basal serum samples of patients who undergo rapid disease progression to MAPKi treatment (PD) (C, left panel). Finally, a significant negative Spearman correlation was obtained between the circulating levels of miR-4488 vs miR-579-3p in basal serum samples (D).