A Randomized Trial of miRNA-34a-Based Therapy for Chemosensitization in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Patients

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Published: 2026-03-15
DOI: https://doi.org/10.61919/hxwqyv32
Keywords:
Chemosensitization; MicroRNA-34a; Neoadjuvant Therapy; Pathological Complete Response; Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.

Main Article Content

Rida Zainab
MS Molecular Genetics, COMSATS University, Islamabad, Pakistan
Azhar Rashid
Consultant Oncologist, Department of Clinical and Radiation Oncology, Neurospinal and Cancer Care Institute (NCCI), Karachi, Pakistan
Attiq Ullah
PhD Scholar, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, P.R. China
Taqdees Mehmood
Pak Austria Fachhochschule, Institute of Applied Sciences and Technology, Mang Haripur, Pakistan
Hadiya Rafique
Cancer Research Fellow, NUST, Islamabad, Pakistan; affiliated with International Society for Stem Cell and Cancer Research (ISSCR), Pakistan
Mahgul Noor
PGR Medicine, Bolan Medical Complex Hospital, Quetta, Pakistan
Ayesha Saeed
MBBS, Quaid e Azam Medical College, Bahawalpur, Pakistan

Abstract

Background: Triple-negative breast cancer is an aggressive malignancy with limited targeted treatment options and variable response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Restoring tumor-suppressive miRNA-34a activity may improve chemosensitivity. Objective: To determine whether adding a liposomal miRNA-34a mimic to standard neoadjuvant chemotherapy increases pathological complete response in stage II–III triple-negative breast cancer. Methods: This prospective, two-arm randomized controlled trial was conducted at a tertiary cancer Centre in urban Sindh, Pakistan, from May 2025 to January 2026. Eighty-four women were randomized equally to dose-dense AC-T chemotherapy with weekly intravenous liposomal miRNA-34a mimic or chemotherapy alone. Pathologists were blinded to allocation. Outcomes were analyzed for 80 participants with postoperative data using chi-square tests, t-tests, repeated-measures analysis of variance, and Pearson correlation. Results: Pathological complete response occurred in 62.5% of intervention participants and 35.0% of controls (risk difference, 27.5%; 95% CI, 6.4–48.6; p=0.014). Residual tumor diameter was lower with combination therapy (1.1±0.8 vs 2.2±1.1 cm; mean difference, −1.10 cm; 95% CI, −1.53 to −0.67; p<0.001). The time-by-group interaction for tumor regression was significant (F(2,156)=14.86; p<0.001). Conclusion: Liposomal miRNA-34a combined with neoadjuvant chemotherapy demonstrated a preliminary improvement in pathological and imaging responses, although confirmation requires complete randomized and safety analyses

Article Details

Issue

Vol. 4 No. 5 (2026)

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Articles
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

[1]
Rida Zainab et al. 2026. A Randomized Trial of miRNA-34a-Based Therapy for Chemosensitization in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Patients. Journal of Health, Wellness and Community Research. 4, 5 (Mar. 2026), 1–7. DOI:https://doi.org/10.61919/hxwqyv32.

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