Downregulation of serum exosomal miR-216b predicts unfavorable prognosis in patients with non-small cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND: Increasing evidence have shown that miRNAs play an important role in the development and progression of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). OBJECTIVE: In this study, we aimed to analyze serum exosomal miR-216b expression in NSCLC patients and its potential clinical significance. METHODS: A total of 105 NSCLC patients and 60 healthy controls were enrolled, and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was performed to detect serum exosomal miR-216b expression. RESULTS: The results demonstrated that serum exosomal miR-216b levels were significantly lower in NSCLC patients compared to controls. In addition, receiver operating characteristic analysis revealed that serum exosomal miR-216b had better diagnostic accuracy than CEA, CYFRA21-1 or SCCA. Moreover, serum exosomal miR-216b levels in early-stage NSCLC patients were dramatically increased after surgical resection, and patients with low serum exosomal miR-216b expression had higher lymph node metastasis probability. Furthermore, low serum exosomal miR-216b expression was closely associated with poor prognosis. Finally, multivariate analysis showed that serum exosomal miR-216b could serve as an independent predictor of NSCLC. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, serum exosomal miR-216b might be used as a potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for NSCLC.