A miRNA signature suggestive of nodal metastases from laryngeal carcinoma.

The discovery that miRNAs are frequently deregulated in tumours offers the opportunity to identify them as prognostic and diagnostic markers. The aim of this multicentric study is to identify a miRNA expression profile specific for laryngeal cancer. The secondary endpoint was to identify specific deregulated miRNAs with potential as prognostic biomarkers for tumour spread and nodal involvement, and specifically to search for a miRNA pattern pathognomonic for N+ laryngeal cancer and for N-tissues. We identified 20 miRNAs specific for laryngeal cancer and a tissue-specific miRNA signature that is predictive of lymph node metastases in laryngeal carcinoma characterized by 11 miRNAs, seven of which are overexpressed (upregulated) and four downregulated. These results allow the identification of a group of potential specific tumour biomarkers for laryngeal carcinoma that can be used to improve its diagnosis, particularly in early stages, as well as its prognosis.