The role of miRNAin prostate cancer diagnosis, prognosisand treatment response: a narrative review

Abstract

To date, prostate cancer remains the most common tumor diagnosed in males and the second most commoncause of cancer-related mortality. While current screening protocols can detect early disease, they lack enough sensitivity and specificity, leading to unnecessary biopsies and overtreatment. Furthermore, disease monitoring remains challenging, as current prognostic strategies rely on data obtained by invasive means such as biopsy, surgeryand digital rectal examination. Additionally, there are no tools to predict tumor progression, risk reclassificationand treatment response. As the need for accurate biomarkers continues, miRNAs are promising biomarkers for screening, surveillance, prognosisand treatment response in prostate cancer. In this review, the authors describe the current evidence regarding the accuracy and efficacy of these biomarkers for prostate cancer.

Tweetable abstract

In prostate cancer, there remains a need for more accurate diagnostic, prognosticand treatment-response strategies utilizingless invasive sources. As such, miRNAs are promising biomarkers that, with further research, could be implemented to address this challenge.

Keywords::

• diagnosis
• miRNA
• prognosis
• prostate cancer
• surveillance
• treatment response

Acknowledgments

The authors thank JCA Alvarez from Universidad de Guadalajara for comments that greatly improved the manuscript.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.