Role of Circulating miRNAs in Therapeutic Response in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer: A Systematic Revision

Abstract

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is one of the most lethal cancers worldwide, mostly due to nonspecific symptoms and a lack of screening tests, which, taken together, contribute to delayed diagnosis and treatment. The current clinical biomarker is serum CA-125, which allows the identification of most advanced primary and relapsed disease and correlates with disease burden; however, as well highlighted in the literature, CA-125 often lacks sensitivity and specificity, and is not helpful in monitoring chemotherapeutic response or in predicting the risk of relapse. Given that, the identification of novel biomarkers able to foster more precise medical approaches and the personalization of patient management represents an unmet clinical requirement. In this context, circulating miRNAs may represent an interesting opportunity as they can be easily detected in all biological fluids. This is particularly relevant when looking for non-invasive approaches that can be repeated over time, with no pain and stress for the oncological patient. Given that, the present review aims to describe the circulating miRNAs currently identified as associated with therapeutic treatments in OC and presents a complete overview of the available evidence.

Keywords

• ovarian cancer
• epithelial ovarian cancer
• liquid biopsy
• circulating miRNAs
• drug response
• personalized medicine