Clinical Impact of a Novel MicroRNA Chemo-Sensitivity Predictor in Gastrooesophageal Cancer

BACKGROUND: miRNAs might be potentially useful biomarkers for prediction of response to chemotherapeutic agents, radiotherapy and survival. The aim of this retrospective study was to validate miRNA response predictors in a cohort of patients with gastrooesophageal cancer in order to predict overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS). MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study population encompassed 53 patients treated with curative intend for loco-regional gastrooesophageal cancer. miRNA expression was quantified from pre-therapeutic and diagnostic, formalin-fixed, paraffin embedded tumour specimens using Affymetrix GeneChip miRNA 1.0 Array. Based on growth inhibition of the NCI60 panel in the presence of cisplatin, epirubicine and capecitabine, a miRNA based response predictor was developed. The Cox proportional hazards model was applied to assess the correlations of the response predictor with OS and DSS. RESULTS: A univariate analysis demonstrated a statistical significant improvement of OS for patients who had undergone surgical resection with prediction scores above the median prediction score (HR: 0.41 (95% CI: 0.17–0.96). Adjusting for surgery and stage, this predictor was identified to be independently associated with both OS (HR: 0.37 (95% CI: 0.16–0.87)) and DSS (HR: 0.32 (0.12–0.87)). CONCLUSION: The miRNA profile predictive for sensitivity to cisplatin, epirubicine and capecitabine was shown to be independently associated with OS and DSS in patients with gastrooesophageal cancer.