A model for predicting clinical prognosis based on brain metastasis-related genes in patients with breast cancer

Abstract

Background Brain metastasis (BM) is a clinically relevant cause of death in patients with breast cancer (BRCA). This study was designed to develop a clinical model capable of predicting BRCA patients’ prognostic outcomes according to the expression of BM-related genes (BMRGs). Methods The public Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) databases served as data sources. BMRGs of BRCA were selected from previous literature. Differences among BRCA molecular subtypes were compared using R ‘limma’ package. The impact of BM-related differentially expressed genes (BM_DEGs) on BRCA patients’ outcomes was explored with a risk score model, after which the relationship between these risk scores and immune cell infiltration was examined. Risk scores were also used to judge the predicted efficacy of immunotherapeutic interventions. The utility of risk scores in combination with clinicopathological characteristics was evaluated as a predictor of patient’s survival through univariate and multivariate analyses. Results The R limma package was used to explore differential gene expression, after which 12 BM_DEGs were incorporated into a risk scoring model. The resultant risk scores were able to predict immunotherapeutic treatment efficacy. In addition, a nomogram incorporating risk scores, stage, and age was established. The nomogram was able to reliably predict the overall survival (OS) of BRCA patients, yielding predictive outcomes that aligned well with actual observations. Conclusions In summary, a predictive clinical model for BRCA patients was successfully established in this study, providing a valuable tool that may be particularly helpful for the assessment of patients facing a risk of BM development.