The value of microRNAs as the novel biomarkers for colorectal cancer diagnosis: A meta-analysis

Abstract

Background: Numerous studies have reported that microRNAs (miRNAs) hold great potential as the biomarkers for colorectal cancer (CRC). However, inconsistent results have made it challenging to evaluate their diagnostic performance. Thus, the aim of this meta-analysis was to systematically assess the pooled efficacy of miRNAs for CRC diagnosis.

Methods: A search for eligible studies up to October 30, 2019 was conducted using PubMed, Web of Science and EMBASE databases. A random-effects model was used to evaluate the pooled sensitivity and specificity. The summary receiver operator characteristic (SROC) curve and area under the curve (AUC) were calculated to assess the overall diagnostic efficacy.

Results: A total of 3258 CRC patients and 2683 healthy controls were identified in 35 included studies. The overall diagnostic accuracy was as follows: sensitivity, 0.80 [95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.75-0.83]; specificity, 0.80 (95 % CI, 0.75-0.84); positive likelihood ratio (PLR), 4.0 (95 % CI, 3.2-5.0); negative likelihood ratio (NLR), 0.26 (95 % CI, 0.21-0.31); diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), 16 (95 % CI, 11-23); and AUC, 0.87 (95 % CI, 0.83-0.89).

Conclusion: The results indicated that miRNAs, particularly serum-derived miRNAs, can serve as the powerful and promising biomarkers for early CRC screening.

Keywords: Colorectal cancer; Diagnosis; Meta-analysis; MicroRNAs.