META-ANALYSIS OF MIRNA AS A DIAGNOSTIC BIOMARKER FOR ORAL SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA IN ATHLETES

Abstract

Objective: This meta-analysis aims to assess the efficacy of miRNA markers in diagnosing oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) in athletes, providing insights into the potential use of miRNAs as diagnostic tools in sports medicine. Methods: A systematic search was conducted across various databases for studies published up to September 2022, involving the diagnosis of OSCC in athletes using miRNA. Studies were rigorously screened based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data were extracted, the quality of included studies was assessed, and a meta-analysis was conducted using Stata14.0. Results: Twenty-three studies involving 2146 participants (1322 cases and 824 controls) were included. The pooled analysis revealed a sensitivity of 0.79 (95% CI: 0.74-0.83) and a specificity of 0.82 (95% CI: 0.78-0.86) for miRNA in diagnosing OSCC among athletes. The positive likelihood ratio was 4.47 (95% CI: 3.50-5.70), and the negative likelihood ratio was 0.26 (95% CI: 0.20-0.32). The diagnostic odds ratio was 17.42 (95% CI: 11.63-26.09), with an area under the summary receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.88 (95% CI: 0.84-0.90). Notably, miRNA-21 showed a high diagnostic potential with a sensitivity of 0.81 (95% CI: 0.61-0.92) and a specificity of 0.80 (95% CI: 0.56-0.92). Conclusion: miRNAs exhibit high diagnostic accuracy for OSCC in athletes and hold promise as non-invasive diagnostic biomarkers. miRNA-21, in particular, demonstrates significant potential for clinical application in sports health monitoring, emphasizing the need for targeted diagnostic strategies in athletic health management.