MicroRNA Expression Profiling in Colorectal Carcinoma: Identification and Validation of Novel Diagnostic, Prognostic and Predictive Biomarkers

This study aimed to investigate aberrant microRNA (miRNA) expression in colon cancer using a bioinformatics pipeline. miRNA expression and clinical data were retrieved from the National Cancer Institute’s Cancer Genome Atlas Program (TCGA) database and were processed using DESeq2. 107 upregulated and 189 downregulated miRNAs are identified to be significantly correlated with the presence of colon cancer. Five of the most significant overexpressed and under-expressed miRNAs were discussed as potential colon cancer diagnosis and treatment biomarkers. The clinical implications of these findings are substantial, as the identified miRNAs could serve as non-invasive biomarkers for early detection and prognosis of colon cancer. Furthermore, these miRNAs may provide insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying colon cancer progression, potentially unveiling new therapeutic targets. Future studies should focus on validating these miRNAs in larger, independent cohorts and exploring their functional roles in colon cancer biology. This could pave the way for developing miRNA-based diagnostic tools and personalized treatment strategies, ultimately improving patient outcomes.