Construction of a prognostic model for non-small-cell lung cancer based on ferroptosis-related genes.

Abstract

We wished to construct a prognostic model based on ferroptosis-related genes and to simultaneously evaluate the performance of the prognostic model and analyze differences between high-risk and low-risk groups at all levels. The gene-expression profiles and relevant clinical data of patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were downloaded from public databases. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were obtained by analyzing differences between cancer tissues and paracancerous tissues, and common genes between DEGs and ferroptosis-related genes were identified as candidate ferroptosis-related genes. Next, a risk-score model was constructed using univariate Cox analysis and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (Lasso) analysis. According to the median risk score, samples were divided into high-risk and low-risk groups, and a series of bioinformatics analyses were conducted to verify the predictive ability of the model. Single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) was used to investigate differences in immune status between high-risk and low-risk groups, and differences in gene mutations between the two groups were investigated. A risk-score model was constructed based on 21 ferroptosis-related genes. A Kaplan–Meier curve and receiver operating characteristic curve showed that the model had good prediction ability. Univariate and multivariate Cox analyses revealed that ferroptosis-related genes associated with the prognosis may be used as independent prognostic factors for the overall survival time of NSCLC patients. The pathways enriched with DEGs in low-risk and high-risk groups were analyzed, and the enriched pathways were correlated significantly with immunosuppressive status.