Increased lncRNA score tied to elevated level of serum calcium, potential biomarker for parathyroid cancer

Written By : Dr. Nandita Mohan |Medically Reviewed By : Dr. Kamal Kant Kohli Published On 2022-01-27T08:30:15+05:30 | Updated On 27 Jan 2022 10:15 AM IST

Recent research published in the Journal of otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery revealed that increased lncRNA score is correlated with an elevated level of serum calcium, which may serve as a potential biomarker for parathyroid cancer diagnosis.

Dysregulated lncRNA score and PVT1 expression may be involved in cancer. In addition, diagnosis of PC remains challenged unless definite lymph node metastasis, or vascular/capsular tumor invasion, or even distant metastasis has been detected. Hence, understanding molecular mechanism is vital for early diagnosis, therapy and prognosis of hyperparathyroidism or PC. However, relationships of lncRNAs with hyperparathyroidism and parathyroid cancer (PC) diagnosis remain mysterious.

Hence, Dongxue Zhang and colleagues from the Department of Endocrinology, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China conducted the present study to evaluate the role of LncRNA score and PVT1 in primary hyperparathyroidism.

Using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), expression profile of PVT1 was evaluated in 57 patients with primary hyperparathyroidism, including 11 with parathyroid cancer (PC) and 46 with parathyroid adenoma (PA).

The key findings seen in the study included-

a. Higher levels of lncRNA score and PVT1 expression were associated with increased serum calcium level after water ingestion and PC risk (P < 0.05).

b. Accordingly, lncRNA score and PVT1 expression were increased with varying degrees of hypercalcemia in PC.

c. A higher level of lncRNA score (but not PVT1) was an independent risk factor of PC, with an AUC up to 0.872 (95% CI: 0.756–0.945, P < 0.001).

d. Moreover, lncRNA score was more valuable (with AUC 0.974, sensitivity of 85.71% and specificity of 100%, respectively) than intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) in predicting risk of PC among patients with hypercalcemia (especially based on greater AUC, P = 0.010).

Therefore, the authors concluded that "Increased lncRNA score is correlated with an elevated level of serum calcium, which may serve as a potential biomarker for PC diagnosis, especially with hypercalcemia."

lncRNA scoreserum calciumelevated levelsJournal of otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery

Source : Journal of otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery

Dr. Nandita Mohan

Dr. Nandita Mohan is a practicing pediatric dentist with more than 5 years of clinical work experience. Along with this, she is equally interested in keeping herself up to date about the latest developments in the field of medicine and dentistry which is the driving force for her to be in association with Medical Dialogues. She also has her name attached with many publications; both national and international. She has pursued her BDS from Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Bangalore and later went to enter her dream specialty (MDS) in the Department of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry from Pt. B.D. Sharma University of Health Sciences. Through all the years of experience, her core interest in learning something new has never stopped. She can be contacted at editorial@medicaldialogues.in. Contact no. 011-43720751

Dr. Kamal Kant Kohli

Dr Kamal Kant Kohli-MBBS, DTCD- a chest specialist with more than 30 years of practice and a flair for writing clinical articles, Dr Kamal Kant Kohli joined Medical Dialogues as a Chief Editor of Medical News. Besides writing articles, as an editor, he proofreads and verifies all the medical content published on Medical Dialogues including those coming from journals, studies,medical conferences,guidelines etc. Email: drkohli@medicaldialogues.in. Contact no. 011-43720751