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Plasma microRNAs in oesophageal and gastric cancer995miRNAs[49]. The patients in this trial received folate supplementation in addition to a normal diet. In the current study, no significant differences were seen between miRNA levels in patients with or without vitamin supplementation although the sample size is small. In addition, it is difficult to draw conclusions from the measurements in the follow-up samples and analysis by response due to the small sample size. Current treatments of advanced GC and EAC generally consist of firstline fluoropyrimidine- and oxaliplatin based chemotherapy regimens either alone or, in case of Her2 overexpressing tumours, in combination with trastuzumab. Cisplatin and gemcitabine can still be a preferred treatment option in patients with preexisting neuropathy or dysphagia. After disease progression systemic therapy using paclitaxel and ramucirumab (for AC) and paclitaxel can be considered [50]. The role of miRNAs in relation to the response of these agents is not clear. In conclusion assessment of miRNAs with ddPCR is possible in plasma samples despite prolonged storage in heparin. A better OS was seen in patients with EAC with a high plasma miR-375 expression compared to a low miR-375 plasma expression. No prognostic and/or predictive value was found for miR-21-5p, miR148a-3p, miR-146a-5p, miR-141-3p and miR-218-5p in patients with advanced EC or GC treated with palliative cisplatin and gemcitabine but high levels miR-200c3p showed a trend towards a worse OS.FundingThis research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.AcknowledgmentsThe Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cell line VU-SCC-120 was kindly provided by R.H. Brakenhoff, (Otolaryngology%u2014head and neck surgery, VU University Medical Center Amsterdam).