Genomic Signature for the Prognosis of Survival in Relation to the Tumor Microenvironment in Esophageal Adenocarcinoma

Abstract

Objective: To establish a new genomic signature for the prognosis of survival in relation to the tumor microenvironment in esophageal adenocarcinoma. Methods: Data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) were applied, and the stromal and immune scores of patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) were generated through the ESTIMATE algorithm. Differentially expressed genes were obtained, and genes concerning immune prognosis were identified on the basis of these scores. Functional analysis showed that these genes were primarily involved in immunobiological processes. Additionally, CIBERSORT was used to analyze 22 subgroups of tumor-infiltrating immune cells in the tumor microenvironment. Results: The results of the genomic assessment shown on the Kaplan-Meier curve revealed that EAC patients with high-risk scores have the worst survival. The risk score is valid as an independent prognostic factor for the overall survival in EAC patients. The tumor microenvironment was systematically analyzed, and the immune-related prognostic biomarkers of EAC have been proposed. Conclusion: The expression of tumor-infiltrating immune cells and immune-related genes in EAC have been identified. Some previously overlooked genes may be used as additional biomarkers for EAC in the future.