Serum Overexpression of MicroRNA-10b in Patients with Bone Metastatic Primary Breast Cancer

OBJECTIVE: Bone metastasis is a major complication of advanced breast cancer. The present prospective case-control study investigated the involvement of microRNA (miR)-10b in the development of bone metastasis arising from primary breast carcinoma. METHODS: Serum miR-10b concentrations were determined by quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction in 122 patients with breast cancer, with or without bone metastases, and 59 age-matched healthy control subjects. RESULTS: Serum miR-10b concentrations were significantly higher in patients with bone metastases than in patients without bone metastases or control subjects. Serum miR-10b had an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for the presence of bone metastases of 0.769, with 64.8% sensitivity and 69.5% specificity. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that serum miR-10b may be a useful biomarker for the identification of bone metastatic breast cancer.