Diagnostic Value of Circulating microRNAs for Lung Cancer: A Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Background: Lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer mortality, and it shows a high incidence worldwide. Circulating microRNAs have been proposed as diagnostic indicators of lung cancer, but inconsistent results in the literature have prevented their widespread use in diagnosis. The present meta-analysis aimed to systematically evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of circulating microRNAs for lung cancer. Methods: Several research databases were searched systematically for studies of the accuracy of circulating microRNAs as diagnostic indicators of lung cancer. Results from different studies were pooled using random-effects models. Summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curves were used to assess the overall performance of microRNA-based assays. Results: Thirteen publications were included in the meta-analysis. The following summary estimates were obtained for the performance of circulating microRNAs in lung cancer diagnosis: sensitivity, 0.85 (95% confidence intervals [CI]: 0.83-0.87); specificity, 0.84 (95% CI: 0.81-0.86); positive likelihood ratio, 5.23 (95% CI: 3.75-7.29); negative likelihood ratio, 0.20 (95% CI: 0.14-0.27); and diagnostic odds ratio, 31.77 (95% CI: 16.98-59.42). The SROC curve indicated a maximum joint sensitivity and specificity of 0.85, with an area under the curve of 0.92. Conclusion: Circulating microRNAs show significant potential as diagnostic markers of lung cancer. The results of this meta-analysis justify larger, more rigorous studies to confirm such a diagnostic role.