Construction of a prognostic signature of RFC5 immune-related genes in patients with cervical cancer

Cancer Biomark. 2023;37(4):261-277. doi: 10.3233/CBM-220347.

Abstract

Background: Cervical cancer (CC) is a malignant tumor threatening women's health. Replication factor C (RFC) 5 is significantly highly expressed in CC tissues, and the immune microenvironment plays a crucial role in tumor initiation, progression, and metastasis.

Objective: To determine the prognostic role of RFC5 in CC, analyze the immune genes significantly associated with RFC5, and establish a nomogram to evaluate the prognosis of patients with CC.

Methods: High RFC5 expression in patients with CC was analyzed and verified through TCGA GEO, TIMER2.0, and HPA databases. A risk score model was constructed using RFC5-related immune genes identified using R packages. Combining the risk score model and clinical information of patients with CC, a nomogram was constructed to evaluate the prognosis of patients with CC.

Results: Comprehensive analysis showed that the risk score was a prognostic factor for CC. The nomogram could predict the 3-year overall survival of patients with CC.

Conclusions: RFC5 was validated as a biomarker for CC. The RFC5 related immune genes were used to establish a new prognostic model of CC.

Keywords: Cervical cancer; immunoinhibitors; immunostimulators; prognostic signature; risk score.

MeSH terms

  • Cell Transformation, Neoplastic
  • Databases, Factual
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Nomograms
  • Prognosis
  • Replication Protein C
  • Tumor Microenvironment / genetics
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms* / genetics

Substances

  • RFC5 protein, human
  • Replication Protein C