Circulating microRNAs and serum proteins in breast cancer patients - Diagnostic relevance and grade-specific expression patterns

Sep 30, 2026

This observational study evaluates a panel of circulating microRNAs and serum proteins for breast cancer diagnosis and tumor-grade classification. The work analyzes miR-21, miR-221, miR-1246, miR-145, and miR-382 together with CA15-3 and 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine across breast cancer patients with varying grades. Distinct grade-dependent miRNA expression patterns are reported, alongside diagnostic performance assessed by receiver operating characteristic analysis. The combined multi-marker liquid biopsy approach enhances sensitivity and diagnostic accuracy for differentiating patients from healthy controls and distinguishing grades.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages16

Reading Time40 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Background

Aim

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| W | J | E | M | World Journal of
Experimental Medicine | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | Submit a Manuscript: [https://www.f6publishing.com](https://www.f6publishing.com) World J Exp Med 2025 September 20; 15(3): 108034 DOI: 10.5493/wjem.v15.i3.108034 ISSN 2220-315x (online) ORIGINAL ARTICLE Observational Study Circulating microRNAs and serum proteins in breast cancer patients: Diagnostic relevance and grade-specific expression patterns Safinaz E El-Toukhy, Heba K Nabih, Mahmoud M Kamel, Hossam Elmasry, Sherien M El-Daly Specialty type: Medicine, research and experimental Provenance and peer review: Invited article; Externally peer reviewed. Peer-review model: Single blind Peer-review report’s classification Scientific Quality: Grade A, Grade B, Grade C Novelty: Grade A, Grade B, Grade D Creativity or Innovation: Grade B, Grade C, Grade D Scientific Significance: Grade B, Grade B, Grade D P-Reviewer: Chen DZ; Ding JJ; Ren T Received: April 3, 2025 Revised: May 10, 2025 Accepted: June 20, 2025 Published online: September 20, 2025 Processing time: 131 Days and 7.5 Hours Safinaz E El-Toukhy, Heba K Nabih, Sherien M El-Daly, Department of Medical Biochemistry, Medical Research and Clinical Studies Institute, National Research Centre, Giza 12622, Egypt Mahmoud M Kamel, Department of Clinical Pathology, National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Cairo 11796, Egypt Hossam Elmasry, Department of Laboratory, Baheya Centre for Early Detection and Treatment of Breast Cancer, Giza 12557, Egypt Sherien M El-Daly, Cancer Biology and Genetics Laboratory, Centre of Excellence for Advanced Sciences, National Research Centre, Giza 12622, Egypt Corresponding author: Sherien M El-Daly, Professor, Department of Medical Biochemistry, Medical Research and Clinical Studies Institute, National Research Centre, 33 El Buhouth Street, Dokki, Giza 12622, [Egypt.](Egypt. sm.el-daly@nrc.sci.eg)[ sm.el-daly@nrc.sci.eg](Egypt. sm.el-daly@nrc.sci.eg) Abstract BACKGROUND Breast cancer is a prominent contributor to female cancer-related mortality. Early detection and accurate diagnosis are essential for effective management. AIM To evaluate the diagnostic relevance of a panel of circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) independently or in combination with other tumor biomarkers and evaluate their sensitivity and specificity in classifying breast cancer patients by grade. METHODS In the present study, we analyzed the aberrant expression of miR-21, miR-221, miR-1246, miR-145, and miR-382, in addition to the tumor biomarkers cancer antigen 15-3 (CA15-3) and 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) in breast cancer patients with varying grades. RESULTS Our results revealed distinct expression patterns of these miRNAs between grade II and III patients. Specifically, miR-21, miR-221, and miR-1246 were significantly WJEM [https://www.wjgnet.com](https://www.wjgnet.com) 1 September 20, 2025 Volume 15 Issue 3 El-Toukhy SE et al. Circulating biomarkers for breast cancer grading elevated, while miR-145 and miR-382 were downregulated. Elevated serum levels of CA15-3 and 8-OHdG were observed in breast cancer patients compared to healthy controls, with CA15-3 showing greater diagnostic efficacy in differentiating between grades. Our study revealed strong correlations among evaluated miRNAs, suggesting their interconnected roles in breast cancer progression. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis demonstrated high diagnostic accuracy for all investigated miRNAs, with miR-21 and miR-1246 showing the highest diagnostic power for differentiating patients from healthy individuals and distinguishing breast cancer grades. Moreover, the combination of multiple miRNAs and conventional tumor biomarkers revealed enhanced diagnostic accuracy and sensitivity. CONCLUSION These findings suggest that circulating miRNAs may play a significant role in distinguishing breast cancer patients based on tumor grade,

FAQs

What biomarkers and microRNAs are evaluated in the study?

The study evaluates circulating microRNAs (miR-21, miR-221, miR-1246, miR-145, miR-382) and tumor biomarkers CA15-3 and 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG).

How do the microRNAs differ between breast cancer grades?

Distinct expression patterns are reported between grade II and III patients: miR-21, miR-221, and miR-1246 are elevated, while miR-145 and miR-382 are downregulated.

Does combining multiple biomarkers improve diagnostic performance?

Yes. Integrating multiple miRNAs with conventional protein biomarkers enhances diagnostic accuracy and sensitivity, improving classification of patients from healthy individuals and across tumor grades.

Sep 30, 2026

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