Using the TCGA Database to Predict and Analyze Tumor Microenvironment Genes Related to Poor Prognosis of Colon Cancer

BACKGROUND Colon cancer (COAD) is a highly malignant gastrointestinal cancer. The existence of the TCGA database allows us to more easily perform gene expression profiling and data mining on colon cancer patients worldwide, and to more easily discover the correlation between genes and survival prognosis of colon cancer. Related reports show that the degree of infiltration of tumor immune cells and stromal cells in tumor microenvironment cells has a significant impact on the prognosis of cancer patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS The immune and stromal components in colon cancer can be quantitatively analyzed using relevant scores obtained by use of the ESTIMATE calculation method. To better explain the effect of relevant genes of cells associated with immunity and stroma on the survival prognosis of colon cancer, we divided the data from 191 downloaded case into high and low groups according to their scores of immunity and stroma, and identified differentially expressed genes. RESULTS The results showed that immune and stromal scores were significantly associated with survival prognosis. After performing biological function enrichment analysis and protein interaction network on the target genes, the results showed that these genes are mainly involved in inflammatory response, immune response, and chemotaxis. We then performed relevant survival prognosis analysis of these genes. CONCLUSIONS We found a number of genes that possess the properties of tumor immune microenvironment and can predict poor prognosis of colon cancer.