Clinical significance of microRNA-24 expression in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

microRNA-24 has been reported to participate in tumorgenesis and progression by several signaling pathways in various tumors. However, its potential as a serum diagnostic factor and predictive biomarker for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) has not been studied. In the present study, serum samples were collected from 105 pathologically proven ESCC patients and 30 healthy volunteers. All patients were treated with concurrent chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was carried out to measure the serum miR-24 expression level in all patients and volunteers. The data were compared among radio-sensitive group (CR+PR, 62 patients), radio-resistant group (SD+PD, 43 patients) and healthy volunteers to elucidate the diagnostic value of serum miR-24 testing for ESCC and the predictive value of miR-24 expression of treatment response. In the result, of the 105 ESCC patients enrolled in the study, 62 patients achieved partial or complete response. The serum miR-24 level in ESCC patients is 4.82 times as high as that in healthy subjects(P<0.01), indicating that serum miR-24 expression could be an excellent diagnostic factor. The mean miR-24 serum levels differ by 2.05 folds between radiosensitive group and radioresistant group, indicating that it may serve as a biomarker for predicting the response of ESCC patient to CRT. Furthermore, the responsiveness of therapy is significantly correlated with Cyfra21-1(P<0.05), serum miR-24 level (P<0.05) and the myelosuppression (P<0.01). In the prsent study, we come to the conclusion that serum miR-24 has the potential to serve as a noninvasive biomarker for both ESCC diagnosis and predicting treatment responses to concurrent chemo-radiation therapy. ESCC patients with lower Cyfra21-1, higher miR-24, and severer myelosupression were much more sensitive to CRT.