Background: MicroRNAs are proposed as plasma biomarkers in cancer. Glioblastoma is the most frequent primary brain tumor of adults. MicroRNA-21 was shown to induce glioblastoma growth.
Aims: To evaluate the circulating microRNA-21 in glioblastoma patients.
Methods: MicroRNA-21 copies in glioblastoma plasma (n = 10, before surgery and during/after concomitant chemoradiotherapy), control plasma (n = 10), and tissue samples were analyzed using RT-qPCR.
Results: MicroRNA-21 in glioblastoma was significantly higher than controls (p = .02) and decreased significantly in 9 patients (p = .05). One patient with increasing microRNA-21 developed a histopathologically proven recurrence after the second sample collection.
Discussion: Circulating microRNA-21 might be a useful biomarker in glioblastoma.