Identification of MicroRNAs Associated with the Diagnosis and Prognosis of Cholangiocarcinoma
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32635/2176-9745.RBC.2026v72n1.5375Keywords:
Liver Neoplasms/diagnosis, Cholangiocarcinoma/diagnosis, MicroRNAs, Prognosis, Computational Biology/statistics & numerical dataAbstract
Introduction: Cholangiocarcinoma (CHOL) is a malignant neoplasm of the biliary epithelium and represents the second most usual form of liver cancer. Its high aggressiveness and late diagnosis hinder the implementation of effective therapies. The lack of reliable prognostic biomarkers also impairs proper clinical management. In this context, microRNAs (miRNAs) emerge as post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression, with diagnostic and prognostic potential in various tumors. Objective: Identify key miRNAs associated with the diagnosis and prognosis of CHOL, with a particular focus on lymph node metastasis, through bioinformatic analysis of data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Method: A cross-sectional, descriptive, and exploratory study based on bioinformatics was conducted. A total of 45 samples (36 tumoral and 9 normal) were analyzed from TCGA. The CancerMIRNome, OncomiR, and UALCAN platforms were used for screening, filtering, and differential expression analysis of miRNAs in relation to clinical and demographic variables. Results: Two hundred forty-five miRNAs with statistical significance were identified, of which nine were associated with lymph node metastasis: let-7c-5p, miR-1258, miR-182-5p, miR-183-5p, miR-194-3p, miR-301a-3p, miR-378a-3p, miR-92b-3p, and miR-96-5p. Notably, miR-194-3p was associated with all clinical variables analyzed. No significant correlation was found between miRNA expression and overall survival. Conclusion: The identified miRNAs demonstrate potential prognostic value in CHOL, particularly for stratifying patients with lymph node metastasis. Further studies involving experimental validation and functional analyses are necessary to confirm their role in CHOL tumor progression.
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