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Translational Application of microRNA Profiling to Detect Non-Small Cell Lung Cancers
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- Author / Creator
- Gyoba, Jennifer
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Lung cancer has the highest mortality rates of all cancers worldwide, with a 5-year survival rate less than 15%. Screening methods are in need for the high risk population, as lung cancer is asymptomatic in its early stages. Proper screening methods would allow earlier diagnosis and curative intent treatment. microRNAs (miRNAs) are small, non-coding strands of ribonucleic acid (RNA) that are shown to lead to carcinogenesis when dysregulated. They are stable and detectable in small quantities, thus are promising candidates for biomarkers. miRNAs are also expressed in a tissue specific manner and measurable in small quantities of different biological fluids. In chapters 2 and 3, we show that in our nested case control study, a risk score analysis comparing miRNAs 21, 150, 210 and 223 in early stage non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) matched with similar age and smoking history controls, showed that miRNA profiling could be used as a screening method when measured in blood plasma. We also showed that pre-operative and post-operative NSCLC miRNA levels stay dysregulated 5-8 months post tumour resection, regardless of cancer recurrence or metastasis. In chapter 4 we discuss the results, which demonstrate the benefits of using miRNAs as a screening method for NSCLC, but also that it is not viable to be used as a test on its own. We suggest, in order to improve miRNAs screening capabilities, that the test be combined with another method, such as low-dose computed tomography (CT) scanning, to improve early detection in the high-risk population.
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- Graduation date
- Spring 2018
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- Type of Item
- Thesis
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- Degree
- Master of Science
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- License
- Permission is hereby granted to the University of Alberta Libraries to reproduce single copies of this thesis and to lend or sell such copies for private, scholarly or scientific research purposes only. Where the thesis is converted to, or otherwise made available in digital form, the University of Alberta will advise potential users of the thesis of these terms. The author reserves all other publication and other rights in association with the copyright in the thesis and, except as herein before provided, neither the thesis nor any substantial portion thereof may be printed or otherwise reproduced in any material form whatsoever without the author's prior written permission.