Advancing Gastrointestinal Cancer Diagnostics: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Circulating microRNA-1246 as a Non-invasive Biomarker.

Background: Despite numerous reports on the alterations of microRNA-1246 (miR-1246) expression level in digestive system cancers, its role in gastrointestinal cancers (GICs) remains unclear. This meta-analysis aimed to assess the diagnostic potential of circulating miR-1246 in GICs. Methods: Meta-disc V.1.4 and Comprehensive Meta-Analysis V.3.7 software were used to calculate pooled sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratios, diagnostic odds ratio, AUC, Q*index, and SROC. Subgroup analyses were conducted for cancer type, sample type, and geographical region. Publication bias was assessed using Begg's and Egger's tests. Results: A total of 14 articles involving 18 studies and 1,526 participants (972 cases and 554 controls) were included. The diagnostic accuracy of miRNA-1246 in GICs was as follows: pooled sensitivity: 0.81 (95% CI: 0.79 - 0.83), specificity: 0.74 (95% CI: 0.71 - 0.77), PLR: 3.315 (95% CI: 2.33 - 4.72), NLR: 0.221 (95% CI: 0.153 - 0.319), DOR: 16.87 (95% CI: 9.45 - 30.09), AUC: 0.891, and Q*-index: 0.807. No publication bias was found based on Begg's (p = 0.172) and Egger's (p = 0.113) tests. Conclusion: Circulating miR-1246 shows promise as a non-invasive biomarker for early detection of GICs.