Comprehensive analysis and prognostic assessment of senescence-associated genes in bladder cancer

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Genetics
• Bioinformatics

Background:

• Bladder cancer (BLCA) has high prevalence and mortality.
• Senescence-related genes are implicated in tumor development, but their prognostic value in BLCA is underexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prognostic significance of senescence-related genes in bladder cancer.
• To develop a predictive model for bladder cancer patient survival based on senescence gene signatures.

Main Methods:

• Utilized TCGA and GEO datasets for BLCA transcriptome analysis.
• Employed differential gene expression, NMF, and Cox regression for gene identification.
• Developed and validated nomograms for survival prediction and assessed immune response and drug sensitivity.

Main Results:

• Identified two distinct clusters based on senescence-related gene expression in BLCA.
• A panel of ten key senescence-related genes was established for risk stratification.
• Validated nomograms accurately predicted patient survival; low-risk patients showed higher sensitivity to specific chemotherapeutic agents.

Conclusions:

• Senescence-related gene signatures hold promise for improving bladder cancer patient risk assessment.
• This approach can enhance clinical management and guide personalized treatment strategies for bladder cancer.