Diagnostic panel of serum miR-125b-5p, miR-182-5p, and miR-200c-3p as non-invasive biomarkers for urothelial bladder cancer

Purpose This study aimed to identify a diagnostic panel of serum microRNAs (miRNAs) for the early detection of bladder cancer (BC). Methods Serum samples were collected from 112 BC patients and 112 normal controls (NCs). A three-stage selection was conducted to identify differentially expressed miRNAs as candidates to construct the diagnostic panel. Further, to explore their potential roles in urothelial BC, bioinformatics analyses, including target genes prediction and functional annotation, were used. Results Six downregulated miRNAs (miR-1-3p, miR-30a-5p, miR-100-5p, miR-125b-5p, miR-143-3p, and miR-200c-3p) and one upregulated, miR-182-5p, in BC patients' serum were detected compared to NCs and were selected to establish the diagnostic panel. Based on a backward stepwise logistic regression analysis, miR-125b-5p, miR-182-5p, and miR-200c-3p comprehended the diagnostic panel [area under the curve (AUC) = 0.959, sensitivity = 91.67%, specificity = 92.5%]. Conclusion The panel of three miRNAs had an excellent diagnostic capability, representing a potential non-invasive method for early BC detection.