Open AccessCirculating cell-free DNAs and miRNAs as promising non-invasive biomarkers for early detection of gastric cancer
Author(s) -
Xin Liu,
Khoi Chu
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
neoplasma
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.628
H-Index - 50
eISSN - 1338-4317
pISSN - 0028-2685
DOI - 10.4149/neo_2016_002
Subject(s) - microrna , cancer , liquid biopsy , nucleic acid , biomarker , cancer research , biology , disease , cell free fetal dna , circulating tumor cell , cancer biomarkers , cancer cell , medicine , bioinformatics , gene , pathology , metastasis , genetics , pregnancy , fetus , prenatal diagnosis
Early diagnosis of gastric cancer is critical to decrease the mortality of this globally fatal disease. Currently, endoscopic biopsy is the gold standard for diagnosis of gastric cancer. However, invasiveness and high expense limit its application. Hence, non-invasive and cost-effective biomarkers for early detection and subsequent management are crucial steps to monitor gastric cancer. Recent studies suggest that circulating cell-free nucleic acids, including circulating tumor DNAs and microRNAs (miRNAs), are promising for various applications. Development of such blood-based biomarkers is expected to facilitate detection, predict prognosis, monitor chemotherapeutic response and manage recurrence of human cancers. In this review, the characteristics of circulating cell-free DNAs and miRNAs will be elucidated, including their origin and dysregulation. Mutations and hypermethylation of circulating DNAs, abnormal alternations of expression of circulating miRNAs will be revealed as aberrant changes indicating gastric cancer. The roles of circulating DNAs and miRNAs for early detection of gastric cancer will be focused on, as well as the challenges of developing circulating nucleic acids as biomarkers.