reast cancer is the second most common cause of death from cancer in women.rnThere is now increased prevalence of breast cancer among African women. InrnEthiopia it is the leading cancer type constituting 33% of all cancer cases inrnwomen. It is a heterogeneous type of disease which comprises of manyrnbiologically different and pathologically distinct features that lead to differentrntreatment responses.rnTests and procedures for diagnosis and prognosis of breast cancer are stillrnlimited to invasive procedures and imaging techniques. Based on theirrndifferential expression in disease and with their exceptional stability in biologicalrnfluids, microRNAs are noticeable candidates to be used as non-invasiverndiagnostic and prognostic biomarker. The association of change in expressionrnlevel of microRNAs with clinicopathological parameters may demonstrate theirrnpotential in sorting the heterogeneous disease to specific subgroups for effectiverntreatment options.rnThe purpose of this study was to investigate the differential expression ofrnspecific circulatory microRNAs in breast cancer patients and study theirrnassociation with clinicopathological parameters with samples from healthyrnvolunteers serving as control. Changes in the level of microRNA after completingrnchemotherapy was also assessed and checked for association with serum CA 15-3rnvalues to see the prognostic potential of specific microRNAs.rnXIVrnThe levels of specific circulatory microRNAs in patient and control samples werernanalyzed using qRT-PCR. Serum CA 15-3 values from patient samples collectedrnafter completion of chemotherapy were measured using solid phase enzymernlinked immunosorbent assay.rnIn this study miRNA 21-5p was significantly over expressed in the serum ofrnbreast cancer patients when compared with controls (P