miR-185 is an independent prognosis factor and suppresses tumor metastasis in gastric cancer

miR-185 has been identified as an important factor in several cancers such as breast cancer, ovarial cancer, and prostate cancer. However, its effect and prognostic value in gastric cancer are still poorly known. In this study, we found that the expression levels of miR-185 were strongly downregulated in gastric cancer and associated with clinical stage and the presence of lymph node metastases. Moreover, miR-185 might independently predict OS and RFS in gastric cancer. We further found that upregulation of miR-185 inhibited the proliferation and metastasis of gastric cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that the miR-185 is important for gastric cancer initiation and progression and holds promise as a prognostic biomarker to predict survival and relapse in gastric cancer. It is also a potential therapeutic tool to improve clinical outcomes in the above disease.