The Prognostic and Predictive Value of Melanoma-related MicroRNAs Using Tissue and Serum: A MicroRNA Expression Analysis

AbstractThe overall 5-year survival for melanoma is 91%. However, if distant metastasis occurs (stage IV), cure rates are <15%. Hence, melanoma detection in earlier stages (stages I–III) maximises the chances of patient survival. We measured the expression of a panel of 17 microRNAs (miRNAs) (MELmiR-17) in melanoma tissues (stage III; n=76 and IV; n=10) and serum samples (collected from controls with no melanoma, n=130; and patients with melanoma (stages I/II, n=86; III, n=50; and IV, n=119)) obtained from biobanks in Australia and Germany. In melanoma tissues, members of the ‘MELmiR-17’ panel were found to be predictors of stage, recurrence, and survival. Additionally, in a minimally-invasive blood test, a seven-miRNA panel (MELmiR-7) detected the presence of melanoma (relative to controls) with high sensitivity (93%) and specificity (≥82%) when ≥4 miRNAs were expressed. Moreover, the ‘MELmiR-7’ panel characterised overall survival of melanoma patients better than both serum LDH and S100B (delta log likelihood=11, p