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SYSTEMATIC REVIEW article

Front. Oncol.
Sec. Gastrointestinal Cancers: Colorectal Cancer
Volume 14 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1398062
This article is part of the Research Topic Recent Advances in Liquid Biopsy in Colorectal Cancer: Vol II View all 4 articles

Diagnostic and Prognostic significance of ALU-based cell-free DNA in Colorectal Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Provisionally accepted
Mohammad Taghizadeh Mohammad Taghizadeh 1Abbas Karimi Abbas Karimi 1*Tohid Jafari-Koshki Tohid Jafari-Koshki 2
  • 1 Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Advanced Medical Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran., Tabriz, Iran
  • 2 Molecular Medicine Research Center (MMRC), Department of Statistics and Epidemiology, Faculty of Health, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran, Tabriz, Iran

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Introduction: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major global health concern. This study aimed to investigate the role of ALU-based cell-free DNA (cfDNA) in the diagnosis and prognosis of CRC. Methods: We selected relevant literature from PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, EMBASE, and Science Direct databases based on strict inclusion and exclusion criteria. 17 eligible studies were included in the final analysis (13 studies for diagnostic and 4 studies for prognostic meta-analysis). The search covered relevant publications up to July 1, 2024. Results: The pooled sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic odds ratios (DOR) of ALU-based cfDNA in CRC diagnosis were 0.81 (95% CI= [0.70, 0.89]), 0.90 (95% CI= [0.70, 0.96]), and 40.58 (95% CI= [17.87, 92.19]), respectively. The area under the ROC curve was 0.92 (95% CI= [0.89, 0.94]). Patients with higher concentrations of plasma/serum ALU-based cfDNA had poorer overall survival (OS) (pooled hazard ratio = 2.33 ([95% CI= [1.80, 3.03]). Conclusion: The current evidence supports the utility of circulating ALU as a promising non-invasive diagnostic and prognostic tool for CRC. Furthermore, as a potential biomarker, ALU-based cfDNA could play a significant role in clinical application. Clinical implications: The evidence suggests that circulating ALUbased cell-free DNA (cfDNA) holds promise as a non-invasive diagnostic and prognostic tool for colorectal cancer, potentially enhancing clinical decision-making.

    Keywords: Alu, colorectal cancer, diagnosis, prognosis, Sensivitivty, specificity

    Received: 08 Mar 2024; Accepted: 18 Jul 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Taghizadeh, Karimi and Jafari-Koshki. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Abbas Karimi, Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Advanced Medical Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran., Tabriz, Iran

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.