International Journal of General Medicine (Aug 2021)
An Epithelial–Mesenchymal Transition Hallmark Gene-Based Risk Score System in Head and Neck Squamous-Cell Carcinoma
Abstract
Feifei Liang,1 Rensheng Wang,1 Qinghua Du,2 Shangyong Zhu3 1Department of Radiation Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Radiation Oncology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Ultrasound, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Shangyong ZhuDepartment of Ultrasound, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, No. 6 Shuangyong Road, Nanning, Guangxi, 530021, People’s Republic of ChinaEmail [email protected]: Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) program plays a critical role in cancer. Thus, we attempted to generate a risk score system according to the expression pattern of different EMT hallmark genes in head and neck squamous-cell carcinoma (HNSC).Methods: Differentially expressed EMT hallmark genes were screened to generate a risk score (RS) on TCGA HNSC dataset. The relative prognostic value of the RS compared to clinicopathological characteristics was explored using multivariable Cox analysis. Functional enrichment analysis was performed to reveal the biological characteristics. An external dataset was applied to validate the prognostic value of the RS.Results: Nine genes constituted the EMT hallmark gene-based RS, which is significantly associated with poor prognosis and could successfully divide patients with HNSC into high- and low-risk groups. The RS was also an independent prognostic indicator compared to routine clinical factors.Conclusion: We proposed and validated a nine-EMT hallmark gene-based risk score system in HNSC.Keywords: head and neck squamous-cell carcinoma, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, EMT, risk score system, angiogenesis
