Circulating microRNAs can predict chemotherapy-induced toxicities in patients being treated for primary breast cancer
Purpose: Prescribing NAC for breast cancer is a pragmatic treatment strategy for several reasons; however, certain patients suffer chemotherapy-induced toxicities. Unfortunately, identifying patients at risk of toxicity often proves challenging. MiRNAs are small non-coding RNA molecules which modulate genetic expression. The aim of this study was to determine whether circulating miRNAs are sensitive biomarkers that can identify the patients likely to suffer treatment-related toxicities to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) for primary breast cancer.
Methods: This secondary exploratory from the prospective, multicentre translational research trial (CTRIAL ICORG10/11-NCT01722851) recruited 101 patients treated with NAC for breast cancer, from eight treatment sites across Ireland. A predetermined five miRNAs panel was quantified using RQ-PCR from patient bloods at diagnosis. MiRNA expression was correlated with chemotherapy-induced toxicities. Regression analyses was performed using SPSS v26.0.
Results: One hundred and one patients with median age of 55 years were recruited (range: 25-76). The mean tumour size was 36 mm and 60.4% had nodal involvement (n = 61) Overall, 33.7% of patients developed peripheral neuropathies (n = 34), 28.7% developed neutropenia (n = 29), and 5.9% developed anaemia (n = 6). Reduced miR-195 predicted patients likely to develop neutropenia (P = 0.048), while increased miR-10b predicted those likely to develop anaemia (P = 0.049). Increased miR-145 predicted those experiencing nausea and vomiting (P = 0.019), while decreased miR-21 predicted the development of mucositis (P = 0.008).
Conclusion: This is the first study which illustrates the value of measuring circulatory miRNA to predict patient-specific toxicities to NAC. These results support the ideology that circulatory miRNAs are biomarkers with utility in predicting chemotherapy toxicity as well as treatment response.
Funding
Open Access funding provided by the IReL Consortium
History
Comments
The original article is available at https://link.springer.com/Published Citation
Davey MG, et al. Circulating microRNAs can predict chemotherapy-induced toxicities in patients being treated for primary breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2023Publication Date
4 August 2023External DOI
PubMed ID
37540289Publisher
Springer NatureVersion
- Published Version (Version of Record)