A prospective pilot study of urine microRNA as a biomarker of urinary radiation toxicity following MRI-guided prostate stereotactic body radiotherapy.
- 1Department of Biostatistics and Translational Medicine, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland.
- 2Department of Radiation Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.
Abstract
Introduction
Urinary toxicities are common following prostate radiotherapy and can impair quality of life. New biomarkers are needed that can predict the risk of urinary toxicity following MRI guided stereotactic body radiotherapy (MR-SBRT) to assist with selection of the most appropriate radiotherapy treatment approach. We aimed to identify urine miRNA biomarkers of radiation-induced urinary toxicities.Methods
Ten patients undergoing MR-SBRT were enrolled on a prospective biorepository protocol and urine specimens were collected before, at the final fraction and 2-4 months following radiotherapy. RNA was isolated and microRNA sequencing was performed followed by qPCR for confirmation of microRNA expression changes. Differences in microRNA expression were assessed with regard to timepoint, cancer risk category and urinary toxicity.Results
Both sequencing and qPCR showed that expressions of miR-26a-5p and miR-95-3p decrease during MR-SBRT and increase during early follow up. miR-204-3p and miR-192-5p changed differently in patients with and without urinary radiation toxicity. Expression of miR-375-3p was lower in patients with higher risk category (NCCN unfavorable intermediate to high risk or recurrent/metastatic) at all timepoints and decreased during and after MR-SBRT, especially in patients with a lower risk category (NCCN low to favorable intermediate risk) of prostate cancer.Discussion
Urine microRNA analysis is feasible and may identify biomarkers linked to radiation-induced urinary toxicity and prostate cancer severity. The findings of this pilot study are limited by the sample size and should be prospectively validated.
Related
- Peri-urethral calcifications as a potential biomarker for acute genitourinary toxicity following prostate stereotactic body radiotherapy
- The Impact of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis on the Incidence and Severity of Radiation Pneumonitis in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients Following Radiotherapy
- Spontaneous Pneumothorax During Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy for Pulmonary Metastasis From Osteosarcoma: A Case Report and Literature Review
- Neoadjuvant Stereotactic Ablative Radiotherapy Before Inferior Vena Cava Thrombectomy for Renal Cell Carcinoma : A Phase 2 Nonrandomized Clinical Trial
- 473 Effect of nivolumab with or without relatlimab after stereotactic body radiotherapy in patients with advanced esophagogastric cancer
BibTeX
@article{smyczynska2026prospective,
title = {{A prospective pilot study of urine microRNA as a biomarker of urinary radiation toxicity following MRI-guided prostate stereotactic body radiotherapy.}},
author = {Urszula Smyczyńska and Zuzanna Nowicka and Patrick Doyle and Heejoo Kang and Maeve Dillon-Martin and Anthony D'Amico and Dipanjan Chowdhury and Wojciech Fendler and David Kozono and Jonathan E Leeman},
journal = {Frontiers in oncology},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3389/fonc.2026.1951947},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42908678},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - A prospective pilot study of urine microRNA as a biomarker of urinary radiation toxicity following MRI-guided prostate stereotactic body radiotherapy.
AU - Urszula Smyczyńska
AU - Zuzanna Nowicka
AU - Patrick Doyle
AU - Heejoo Kang
AU - Maeve Dillon-Martin
AU - Anthony D'Amico
AU - Dipanjan Chowdhury
AU - Wojciech Fendler
AU - David Kozono
AU - Jonathan E Leeman
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/07
JO - Frontiers in oncology
DO - 10.3389/fonc.2026.1951947
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42908678
AB - Introduction Urinary toxicities are common following prostate radiotherapy and can impair quality of life. New biomarkers are needed that can predict the risk of urinary toxicity following MRI guided stereotactic body radiotherapy (MR-SBRT) to assist with selection of the most appropriate radiotherapy treatment approach. We aimed to identify urine miRNA biomarkers of radiation-induced urinary toxicities.Methods Ten patients undergoing MR-SBRT were enrolled on a prospective biorepository protocol and urine specimens were collected before, at the final fraction and 2-4 months following radiotherapy. RNA was isolated and microRNA sequencing was performed followed by qPCR for confirmation of microRNA expression changes. Differences in microRNA expression were assessed with regard to timepoint, cancer risk category and urinary toxicity.Results Both sequencing and qPCR showed that expressions of miR-26a-5p and miR-95-3p decrease during MR-SBRT and increase during early follow up. miR-204-3p and miR-192-5p changed differently in patients with and without urinary radiation toxicity. Expression of miR-375-3p was lower in patients with higher risk category (NCCN unfavorable intermediate to high risk or recurrent/metastatic) at all timepoints and decreased during and after MR-SBRT, especially in patients with a lower risk category (NCCN low to favorable intermediate risk) of prostate cancer.Discussion Urine microRNA analysis is feasible and may identify biomarkers linked to radiation-induced urinary toxicity and prostate cancer severity. The findings of this pilot study are limited by the sample size and should be prospectively validated.
SN - 2234-943X
ER -