PRECISION DIAGNOSTICS IN ORAL SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA: THE EMERGING ROLE OF MICRORNA-375: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.71000/4cg93382Keywords:
oral squamous cell carcinoma, , microRNA-375, biomarker, diagnostic accuracy, , miR-375, liquid biopsy, early detection, systematic reviewAbstract
Background: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a prevalent malignancy of the oral cavity, frequently diagnosed at advanced stages due to the lack of reliable early detection biomarkers. MicroRNA-375 (miR-375), a known tumor suppressor, has emerged as a potential non-invasive diagnostic biomarker owing to its consistent downregulation in malignant tissues and body fluids. Its regulatory role in tumor progression through interaction with oncogenic pathways underscores its clinical significance.
Objective: This systematic review aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy and expression profile of miR-375 in OSCC across different biological samples, including tissue, saliva, plasma, and oral cytology specimens.
Methods: A comprehensive search of PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar was conducted from June 1 to June 30, 2025, following PRISMA guidelines. Boolean search strings combining “miR-375,” “oral squamous cell carcinoma,” and “diagnostic biomarker” were used. Studies published between 2011 and 2025 were included if they assessed differential miR-375 expression in human OSCC and reported diagnostic metrics such as AUC, sensitivity, and specificity. Screening and data extraction were performed independently by two reviewers, and risk of bias was evaluated using the QUADAS-2 tool.
Results: Out of 66 initial records, 11 studies met inclusion criteria. All reported significant miR-375 downregulation in OSCC relative to controls. Diagnostic accuracy was high across specimen types, with AUC values ranging 0.90–0.96, sensitivity 80–100%, and specificity 64–100%. One study identified miR-375 as a marker differentiating progressive from non-progressive premalignant lesions. Mechanistic analyses revealed that reduced miR-375 expression promotes oncogenesis via deregulation of MYC and CIP2A pathways.
Conclusion: miR-375 is consistently underexpressed in OSCC and demonstrates robust diagnostic potential across tissue and liquid biopsy platforms. Standardized, multicenter prospective studies are needed to validate its application in clinical screening and early detection.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Sabika Fatima, Safia Khatoon, Muhammad Ilyas Shaikh, Muqaddas Amjad, Saqib Kaleem, Noreen, Eman Rasheed (Author)
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