Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-4-2026
Abstract
Prostate cancer (PCa) is a common malignancy in men worldwide, with incidence projected to rise in the coming years. Traditional screening and diagnostic methods, such as prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing and biopsy, face limitations in specificity and invasiveness. Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as stable, non-invasive biomarkers obtainable via liquid biopsies (blood, urine, semen) that could transform PCa management. These small regulatory RNAs reflect underlying tumor biology and are detectable at early disease stages, enabling improved early detection when used alongside or in place of PSA. Distinct miRNA expression patterns correlate with tumor aggressiveness. For example, miR-141 and miR-375 are elevated in metastatic cases, whereas let-7 family members and miR-326 are upregulated in aggressive disease, highlighting their prognostic value. Moreover, dynamic changes in reported miRNAs during therapy provide real-time insights into treatment response. In androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT), oncogenic miRNAs, such as miR-21 and miR-125b, increase upon resistance, whereas a decline in tumor-suppressive miRNAs, such as miR-23b/-27b, flags the transition to castration-resistant PCa (CRPC). Similarly, baseline levels of miRNAs (e.g., miR-200b/c, miR-20a) can predict chemotherapy outcomes. Integrating multi-miRNA panels has demonstrated superior accuracy for risk stratification and monitoring, paving the way for personalized treatment. Although promising, clinical implementation of miRNA-based assays requires further validation, standardization of protocols, and large-scale prospective studies. Harnessing circulating miRNAs could usher in a new era of precision oncology for PCa, improving early diagnosis, prognostication, and real-time therapeutic guidance.
Recommended Citation
Yaghoubi, Seyyed Mohammad; Zare, Erfan; Jafari Dargahlou, Sina; Jafari, Maryam; Azimi, Mahdiye; Khoshnazar, Maedeh; Shirjang, Solmaz; and Mansoori, Behzad, "MicroRNAs in Prostate Cancer Liquid Biopsies: Early Detection, Prognosis, and Treatment Monitoring" (2026). Student Papers, Posters & Projects. Paper 189.
https://jdc.jefferson.edu/student_papers/189
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Language
English
Included in
Biological Factors Commons, Investigative Techniques Commons, Male Urogenital Diseases Commons, Nucleic Acids, Nucleotides, and Nucleosides Commons, Urology Commons
Comments
This article is the author’s final published version in Cells, Volume 15, Issue 1, 2025, Article number 83.
The published version is available at https://doi.org/10.3390/cells15010083. Copyright © 2026 by the authors.