MicroRNA-204 and microRNA-652-3p as promising biomarkers for endometrial cancer diagnosis and prognosis.

OBJECTIVE: Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecologic malignancy in developed countries. Currently, there are no reliable screening methods available for the early diagnosis or prognostic evaluation of the disease. MicroRNAs are small non-coding ribonucleic acid molecules primarily involved in the regulation of gene expression. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare serum levels of microRNA-204 and microRNA-652-3p between patients diagnosed with endometrial cancer and healthy controls in order to determine their potential diagnostic and prognostic value as candidate biomarkers. METHODS: Serum samples were collected from a total of 226 participants, comprising 150 patients diagnosed with endometrial cancer and 76 healthy controls. Relative expression levels of microRNA-204 and microRNA-652-3p were measured using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: The present study demonstrated that serum levels of microRNA-204 and microRNA-652-3p were significantly elevated in patients with endometrial cancer compared with healthy controls. Overexpression of these microRNAs was significantly associated with disease stage and adverse prognosis. Moreover, patients with high microRNA-204 and microRNA-652-3p expression exhibited significantly shorter survival than those with low expression. Elevated expression of both microRNAs was also significantly associated with an increased risk of disease recurrence. CONCLUSION: Serum levels of microRNA-204 and microRNA-652-3p distinguished patients with endometrial cancer from healthy controls. In addition, both microRNAs were associated with prognosis, including an increased risk of disease recurrence. These findings require confirmation in larger, independently validated cohorts.