Systematic Review Finds Circulating miRNAs Show High Diagnostic Accuracy for Breast Cancer

This systematic review evaluated the diagnostic performance of blood-derived miRNAs (circulating microRNAs, exosomal and non-exosomal) in breast cancer. The review included studies comparing breast cancer patients with healthy controls and assessed diagnostic accuracy using the area under the curve (AUC). The main finding was high diagnostic accuracy, with AUC values exceeding 0.9 for distinguishing breast cancer patients from healthy controls. However, the review did not report pooled effect sizes, confidence intervals, or sample sizes, and the number of included studies was not specified.

The authors noted several limitations, including tumor heterogeneity and lack of pre-analytical standardization, which may affect the reproducibility and generalizability of the results. The review did not report on adverse events, funding sources, or conflicts of interest. The follow-up duration was not reported, and the analysis did not include secondary outcomes.

Despite these limitations, the authors suggest that integrating circulating miRNA biomarkers with current imaging modalities holds potential to enhance early detection and support personalized management strategies. Clinicians should interpret these findings cautiously, as the evidence is based on a systematic review with notable methodological gaps. Further research with standardized protocols is needed before clinical implementation.