RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) Hox transcript antisense intergenic RNA ( HOTAIR) has been suggested to be implicated in gastric cancer tumorigenesis and progression; however, little is known about the role of the plasma HOTAIR in gastric cancer diagnosis and prognosis. OBJECTIVE: The current study was aimed at investigating the clinical relevance of plasma long non-coding HOTAIR as a non-invasive diagnostic biomarker in gastric cancer. METHODS: Plasma HOTAIR expression was measured in 50 patients with newly diagnosed gastric cancer and 50 age- and sex-matched healthy controls using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Plasma level of HOTAIR was significantly higher in gastric cancer patients compared with healthy controls ( P < 0.001). By using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, it was found that plasma HOTAIR could diagnose gastric cancer with 88% sensitivity and 84% specificity. Furthermore, increased HOTAIR expression was associated with advanced tumor stages, higher grades, and metastasis. CONCLUSION: Plasma HOTAIR might serve as a potential non-invasive biomarker for diagnosis of gastric cancer.