lncRNA MALAT1, HOTTIP and PVT1 as predictors for predicting the efficacy of GEM based chemotherapy in first-line treatment of pancreatic cancer patients

This study evaluated the lnc-RNAs as biomarker to predict efficacy of gemcitabine (GEM) based chemotherapy as the first-line treatment for locally advanced or advanced pancreatic cancer patients. We selected 62 patients with GEM based chemotherapy and divided two groups according to the PFS. We found that the expression of MALAT1, HOTTIP, and PVT1 in serum had a significant difference among the two groups. Furthermore, we estimated the PFS and response rate based on the expression levels of MALAT1, HOTTIP and PVT1. The response rate of two groups showed a significant difference according to the expression levels of MALAT1, HOTTIP and PVT1. Based on the expression levels of MALAT1, HOTTIP and PVT1, the response rate of high expression of PVT1 and low expression of PVT1 was respectively 14.8% and 37.1% and 18.2% (high HOTTIP group) and 37.9% (low HOTTIP group), 10.7% (high MALAT1 group) and 41.1% (low MALAT1 group). The PFS of patients with high and low expression levels PVT1 was 2.6 months and 4.0 months (p<0.001), respectively. The PFS of patients with high and low expression levels of HOTTIP was 2.7 months and 4.1 months (p<0.001), respectively, and the PFS of patients with high and low expression levels of MALAT1 was 3.0 months and 3.7 months (P=0.026), respectively. The results suggest that MALAT1, HOTTIP and PVT1 as predictors to predict the efficacy of GEM based chemotherapy in first-line treatment of pancreatic cancer patients.