Objective

The purpose of this study was to screen target miRNA related to RB and explore the expression levels of target miRNA in RB and its potential value of diagnosis.

Methods

The Affymetrix GeneChip miRNA 4.0 Array was used to screen the differential miRNAs in the plasma of 5 RB patients before and after intravenous chemotherapy, and the most significant down-regulated miRNA was selected for target miRNA. Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) is used to verify the expression levels of plasma target miRNA in 30 RB patients. Then, qRT-PCR was performed to further verify the expression of target miRNA in plasma of RB patients and RB tumor tissues. Finally, receiver-operating-characteristic (ROC) curve and the area under the ROC curve (AUC) were used to evaluate the diagnostic power of plasma target miRNA.

Results

The miRNA Array obtain 8 core miRNAs, 1 up-regulated and 7 down-regulated, of which miR-6089 was the most significantly down-regulated. Plasma miR-6089 levels were significantly up-regulated in RB patients. Besides, in RB tumor tissues, miR-6089 levels were also obviously up-regulated. After intravenous chemotherapy, the expression of plasma miR-6089 was significantly decreased. Furthermore, ROC curve analysis showed that miR-6089 in the plasma had a good sensitivity and specificity for distinguishing RB from the healthy control group.

Conclusions

MiR-6089 may be considered as a novel potential diagnostic biomarker for RB.

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10792-021-01808-y

Purpose

To analyze the risk factors and estimate the risk period for tumor recurrence in intraocular retinoblastoma (RB).

Methods

Retrospective study of 60 RB patients.

Results

The mean age at presentation with RB was 16 months (median 11 months; range 1–84 months). Tumor was unilateral in 13 (22%) and bilateral in 47 (78%) patients. Of 83 eyes with intraocular RB, group B (n = 27; 33%) tumors were more common based on International Classification of Intraocular Retinoblastoma. All cases received intravenous chemotherapy as a primary treatment. Over a mean follow-up period of 57 months (median 38 months; range 12–185 months) post-primary treatment, 44 (73%) patients developed tumor recurrence. The mean interval between the completion of primary treatment and first tumor recurrence was 5 months (median 3 months; range 1–24 months). The total duration of treatment for complete tumor control including treatment of tumor recurrences was 20 months (median 19 months; 2–58 months). By multivariate analysis, the factors predictive of tumor recurrence were multiple tumors (p = 0.008) and retinal detachment (p = 0.003) at presentation. Kaplan–Meier estimate of tumor recurrence at 6 months, 1 year, 3 years, and 5 years was 20%, 31%, 68%, and 73%, respectively. There was no tumor recurrence beyond 5 years since primary treatment.

Conclusion

Multiple tumors and retinal detachment at presentation are risk factors for tumor recurrence in RB. Close follow-up is mandatory for at least 5 years since the initiation of treatment for RB.

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10792-021-01759-4