Comparative miRNA Expression Profile Analysis of Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Peritumoral Mucosa from the Meso- and Hypopharynx.

The role of microRNAs (miRNA) in carcinogenesis is related to their genome-regulatory function. The aim of the present study was to identify and compare miRNA expression signatures of meso- and hypopharynx squamous cell cancers in consideration of the cancer field hypothesis. Thirteen snap-frozen biopsy series of tumors and peritumoral tissues from the meso- and hypopharynx were analyzed regarding their miRNA expression with quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Significant miRNA expression changes of miR-21, -27a, -34a, -143 and -146a were found in peritumoral tissues that were dependent from the tumor location and the distance from the primary tumor site. miRNA expression analysis was found to be appropriate for molecular segregation of tumor location and peritumoral tissue segments, and appears to be a promising marker for cancer field characterization.