Diagnostic, Prognostic, and Therapeutic Significance of Long Noncoding RNAs MALAT1 and UCA1 in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in the development and progression of many cancers, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study investigates two specific lncRNAs, MALAT1 (Metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1) and UCA1 (Urothelial carcinoma-associated 1), as potential biomarkers for early HCC diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy evaluation. The study included three groups: HCC patients treated with sorafenib (n=120), HCV patients (n=120), and healthy controls (n=120). MALAT1 and UCA1 expression levels were measured in serum using Real Time PCR, alongside routine clinical evaluations and investigations. MALAT1 and UCA1 levels in HCC patients were significantly higher than those in the HCV group (223.9 vs. 13 and 24.8 vs. 2.34, respectively; P < 0.001). MALAT1 and UCA1 demonstrated high diagnostic accuracy for HCC with cutoff values of 87.76 and 12, respectively. MALAT1 showed a sensitivity of 96.67% and specificity of 95.0%, while UCA1 had a sensitivity of 93.33% and specificity of 92.5%. In addition, elevated levels of MALAT1 and UCA1 were associated with poor survival rates and resistance to sorafenib treatment, observed in 90% and 80% of cases, respectively. In conclusion, MALAT1 and UCA1 are promising non-invasive biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of HCC. Their elevated expression levels correlate with poor survival and resistance to sorafenib treatment, underscoring their potential as targets for lncRNA-based therapies.