Author of

• 11454

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  P2.01 - Poster Session 2 - Cancer Biology (ID 145)

  • Event: WCLC 2013
  • Type: Poster Session
  • Track: Biology
  • Presentations: 1
  • Moderators:
  • Coordinates: 10/29/2013, 09:30 - 16:30, Exhibit Hall, Ground Level

  • 11479

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    P2.01-025 - Differential miRNA Expression in Neuroendocrine Tumours of the Lung (ID 2211)

    09:30 - 09:30  |  Author(s): H. Bartsch
    • Abstract

    Background
    Four neuroendocrine subtypes are distinguishable which differ in the extent of differentiation and grade of biological aggressiveness. Therefore the differentiation of atypical from typical carcinoids or large cell neuroendocrine carcinomas and small cell carcinomas is essential for treatment options and prognosis. However, for pathologists it is often a challenge to establish a faithful differential diagnosis with an accurate prognosis which is restricted in terms of limited specificity of immunohistochemical markers and possible artifacts. Thus we investigated two types of miRNAs as an additional tool for differential diagnosis and possible molecular targets.

    Methods
    A collective of 38 patients suffering from well to poorly differentiated neuroendocrine lung tumours were examined. Two different miRNAs (miR-21, miR-34a) were investigated in four distinct subtypes of pulmonary neuroendocrine tumours by comparative gene expression analysis.

    Results
    miRNA 21 was upregulated in G3-neuroendocrine tumors (Mean rank: 26.8; 28.75) as compared to carcinoids (mean rank: 12.33; 12.07) with a significance of 0.00033. High-expression level of miRNA 34a was associated with atypical carcinoids (p = 0.010).

    Conclusion
    miRNAs are suitable candidates for differential neuroendocrine lung cancer diagnosis. A close association is implicated between the elevated miR-21 in high-grade and miR-34a in low grade atypical neuroendocrine lung carcinomas which could potentially be exploited as practical supportive markers for differential lung cancer diagnosis in routine. However, some additional research and validation studies are needed to utilize them as routine markers or potential molecular targets for personalized medicine.