Lung cancer is one of the most common leading causes of cancer related death in the worldwide, thus its early detection might be a critical strategy to improve patients’ prognosis and survival. The present study was designed to assess if microRNAs expression profiling of bronchoalveolar lavage cell fraction and sputum could help to non-small cell lung cancer early detection.

Relative expression of 3 selected microRNAs (miR-10b, miR-1 and miR-30a) were quantified using Real-time polymerase chain reaction in bronchoalveolar lavage cell fraction and sputum samples from non-small cell lung cancer cases (n=30) and cancer-free group (n=30). Written informed consent from all enrolled individuals was obtained. So, the Ethical and Scientific Committees of the participating institution confirmed the present study in accordance with the ethical standards (as laid down in 1964 Declaration of Helsinki).

miR-1 and miR-30a were significantly downregulated in non-small-cell lung cancer patients^, bronchoalveolar lavage and sputum while miR-10b was significantly upregulated. Overexpression of miR-10b has a positive strong correlation with clinical stages of cancer. ROC curve analysis of miR-10b (as oncomir) and miR-1 (as tumor suppressor) in bronchoalveolar lavage and sputum samples showed that miR-10b with 0.931 and 0.927 AUC values and miR-1 with 0.786 and 0.788 AUC values, could be an excellent and a fair candidate microRNA to distinguish non-small-cell lung cancer patients from cancer-free subjects, respectively.

This study reported significant differences in microRNAs expression in bronchoalveolar lavage and sputum samples of lung cancer patients compared to cancer-free subjects which represent a potential role as a highly specific and sensitive test to Improved early detection of non-small cell lung cancer.