Abstract
It is crucial to grasp the characteristics of tumour immune microenvironment to improve effects of immunotherapy. In this study, the immune and stromal scores of 371 cases were calculated for quantitative analysis of immune and stromal cell infiltration in the tumour microenvironment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The weighted gene co-expression network analysis and protein–protein interaction network were analysed to identify immune microenvironment-related genes. The results showed that patients with high immune scores had a higher 4-year recurrence-free rate. TP53, CTNNB1, and AXIN1 mutations significantly varied with immune scores. In immune score-related modules analysis, Kyoto encyclopaedia of genes and genomes pathways and gene ontology terms were closely related to immune processes, tumorigenesis, and metastasis. Twelve new immune microenvironment-related genes were identified and had significantly positive correlations with seven immune checkpoint genes. In prognostic analysis, eleven immune microenvironment-related genes exhibited high expression, nine of which were validated in the GSE62232 dataset and were significantly associated with a good prognosis. Our findings suggest that calculating immune score and stromal score could help to determine tumour purity and immune cell infiltration in the tumour microenvironment. Nine immune microenvironment-related genes identified in this study had potential as prognostic markers for HCC.
Highlights
Liver cancer is one of the most common malignancies and the second most frequent cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide [1]
The immune and stromal scores of 371 cases were calculated for quantitative analysis of immune and stromal cell infiltration in the tumour microenvironment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)
Our findings suggest that calculating immune score and stromal score could help to determine tumour purity and immune cell infiltration in the tumour microenvironment
Summary
Liver cancer is one of the most common malignancies and the second most frequent cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide [1]. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the predominant form of liver cancer, is highly malignant due to its insidious onset, rapid progression and metastasis. Due to the difficulty of early diagnosis, most patients with HCC have reached middle- or latestage disease at diagnosis. Since radiotherapy and chemotherapy do not prolong overall survival (OS) in HCC [2], it is critical to explore other novel therapies, including targeted therapy and immunotherapy. Immunotherapy is a very promising treatment for other cancer types such as melanoma and non-small cell lung cancer [3,4] and has the potential to change the landscape of therapy for malignancies in the future
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