Liver cancer detection kit or device, and detection method

A method for detecting liver cancer, comprising determining an expression level of hsa-miR-1343-3p in a sample of a subject using a kit comprising a nucleic acid(s), as a primer(s) for PCR, or as a probe(s) for Northern blotting, Southern blotting, or in situ hybridization, capable of specifically binding to hsa-miR-1343-3p, wherein the determining comprises the following steps of:

• (a) contacting hsa-miR-1343-3p in the sample or complementary polynucleotide(s) thereof prepared from hsa-miR-1343-3p with the nucleic acid(s);
• (b) measuring an expression level of hsa-miR-1343-3p by quantitative RT-PCR using the nucleic acid(s) as the primer(s), or Northern blotting, Southern blotting, or in situ hybridization using the nucleic acids as the probe(s);
• and
• (c) comparing the expression level of hsa-miR-1343-3p measured in step (b) with a control expression level of hsa-miR-1343-3p in a control sample of a healthy subject measured in the same way as in step (b), wherein a lower expression level of hsa-miR-1343-3p in the sample of the subject as compared to the control expression level is detected and is indicative that the subject has liver cancer;
• and
• treating the subject for liver cancer or performing a diagnostic procedure on the liver of the subject, wherein the treatment comprises:
• surgical resection and/or liver transplantation;
• local therapy which involves injecting a drug through centesis or performing cauterization to kill cancer;
• or hepatic arterial embolization;
• optionally in combination with a drug therapy or radiotherapy, and wherein the diagnostic procedure comprises a palpation or imaging test,
• wherein the subject is human, and wherein the sample is blood, serum, or plasma.