Diagnosis of Bladder Cancer by Studying microRNA Gene Variations as a Molecular Genetic Marker

Bladder cancer (BC) is one of the most prevalent malignancies worldwide, representing a significant public health burden with high rates of morbidity and mortality. Despite advances in diagnosis and treatment, survival rates for advanced bladder cancer remain suboptimal, highlighting the critical need for a deeper understanding of its pathogenesis and the identification of novel prognostic and therapeutic biomarkers. This study aims to elucidate the association between the miR-146a rs2910164 SNP and bladder cancer risk, as well as its potential impact on gene expression and clinical outcomes in an Iraqi cohort. The study involved a total of 160 participants, comprising 80 patients diagnosed with bladder cancer (case group) and 80 age- and gender-matched healthy individuals (control group). Genotyping was performed using Tetra-ARMS polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis. Gel electrophoresis analysis showed that the C allele was more frequent in cases than controls (68 vs. 34), with a significantly association (OR: 1.42, 95% CI: 0.90-2.24; p = 0.029). Conversely, the G allele, while slightly more common in controls (112 v. 106), demonstrated a lower association with cancer susceptibility. Our findings provide robust evidence for the role of the mRNA-seq-associated RNA (miR) 2910164 in bladder cancer, with distinct genotypic patterns and statistical significance between cases and controls.