Dataset for Extracellular Vesicle-Derived miRNAs as Diagnostic Biomarkers for Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma: A Systematic Review of Methodological Rigor and Clinical Applicability

This project is a systematic review evaluating the diagnostic potential and methodological rigor of extracellular vesicle (EV)-derived microRNAs (miRNAs) for the early detection of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Medline, and Cochrane up to February 1, 2025, identifying 56 original human studies that assessed EV-miRNAs in non-invasively collected biofluids (e.g., plasma, serum, urine). Diagnostic metrics (sensitivity, specificity, AUC) were extracted, and each study was assessed for risk of bias using the QUADAS-2 tool.A novel aspect of this review was the application of a modified MISEV 2018 (updated 2023) checklist to quantitatively score EV validation. Key findings include widespread poor adherence to EV characterisation standards (e.g., >70% lacked EV quantification), minimal use of external validation cohorts (only 2 studies), and frequent absence of blinding (54/56 studies). Although some biomarkers (e.g., miR-21, miR-10b, miR-451a) and multi-miRNA panels showed high AUCs (>0.85), weak methodology often undermined the reliability of these findings.This dataset includes tables of extracted study characteristics, MISEV scores, diagnostic performance of individual and panel biomarkers, and risk of bias ratings. The findings highlight the urgent need for standardised protocols and external validation to support the clinical translation of EV-miRNA biomarkers in PDAC.Data are shared in both Excel (.xlsx) and CSV formats. The Excel file retains merged cell formatting for clarity, while the CSV version ensures compliance with open data standards recommended by FAIRsharing.PROSPERO Registration: CRD42024501503Word count: 2840 (main text), 277 (abstract)Number of included studies: 56Tools used: PRISMA 2020, QUADAS-2, MISEV 2018 checklistFunding: NoneEthics: Not required (systematic review of published studies)