Identification of a novel prognostic signature based on anoikis-related long non-coding RNAs in colorectal cancer

Abstract Anoikis, a form of programmed cell death, is an essential defense mechanism in colorectal cancer (CRC). The prognostic value of anoikis-related long non-coding RNA (ARLs) in CRC remains unclear. We conducted a thorough bioinformatics analysis based on gene expression profiles and clinical information of CRC patients collected from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. A 14-ARLs prognostic ARLs signature was developed using co-expression analysis, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), univariate and multivariate COX regression analysis. Our study revealed that patients categorized as high-risk exhibited a markedly inferior prognosis in comparison to their counterparts in the low-risk group. The riskScores were higher in patients with venous or lymphatic invasion or older than 55. Multivariate COX regression indicated that the riskScore was an independent prognostic factor (p < 0.001). We demonstrated a 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS of the AUC were 0.62, 0.74, and 0.75, respectively. A nomogram with a C-index of 0.802 was developed by integrating clinical parameters and the signature. GO and KEGG analysis showed differential genes between the high- and low- groups were mostly enriched in extracellular matrix and immune-related pathways. The 14-ARLs signature may serve as a validated prognostic predictor for CRC patients.