Locked Nucleic Acid In Situ Hybridization Analysis of MicroRNA-21 Predicts Clinical Outcome in Patients After Resection for Pancreatic Cancer Treated with Adjuvant Gemcitabine Monotherapy

Anticancer Res. 2016 Mar;36(3):1083-8.

Abstract

Background: The overexpression of microRNA-21 (miR-21) in pancreatic cancer has been implicated in drug resistance to gemcitabine. Thus far, miR-21 has gained wide attention as a potential biomarker to predict the clinical response in patients with pancreatic cancer receiving gemcitabine. The aim of this study was to evaluate the predictive value of miR-21 expression, determined by locked nucleic acid in situ hybridization (LNA-ISH), in patients with pancreatic cancer who underwent adjuvant gemcitabine after curative surgery.

Materials and methods: Tumor miR-21 expression was analyzed via LNA-ISH and correlated with the clinical outcomes of the patients treated with adjuvant gemcitabine.

Results: The overexpression of miR-21 in pancreatic cancer, determined by LNA-ISH, was significantly and independently associated with a shorter disease-free survival in patients who received adjuvant gemcitabine after curative resection.

Conclusion: The LNA-ISH analysis of miR-21 may serve as a significant predictor for gemcitabine resistance in patients with pancreatic cancer undergoing adjuvant gemcitabine after curative resection.

Keywords: MicroRNA-21; adjuvant monotherapy; gemcitabine; pancreatic cancer.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal / drug therapy*
  • Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal / genetics
  • Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal / surgery*
  • Chemotherapy, Adjuvant
  • Deoxycytidine / administration & dosage
  • Deoxycytidine / analogs & derivatives*
  • Deoxycytidine / therapeutic use
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm*
  • Female
  • Gemcitabine
  • Humans
  • In Situ Hybridization
  • Male
  • MicroRNAs / genetics*
  • Middle Aged
  • Oligonucleotides / genetics
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / genetics
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms / surgery*
  • Prognosis
  • Survival Analysis
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • MIRN21 microRNA, human
  • MicroRNAs
  • Oligonucleotides
  • locked nucleic acid
  • Deoxycytidine
  • Gemcitabine