Construction of basement membrane-associated lncRNA prognostic model and personalized therapeutic strategy in gastric cancer

Abstract Background Gastric cancer (GC) is a significant global health issue with high incidence and poor prognosis. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play crucial roles in cancer biology. This study aims to identify basement membrane (BM)-related differentially expressed lncRNAs and evaluate their prognostic significance. Methods RNA-sequencing data and clinical information from GC patients were obtained from the TCGA database. Differentially expressed BM-related lncRNAs were identified using DESeq2. A prognostic model was constructed using univariate Cox analysis, LASSO regression, and multivariate Cox regression. The model's predictive value was validated with Kaplan-Meier survival curves and ROC curves. Functional enrichment, genomic mutation, and immune environment analyses were conducted. Results A total of 349 BM-related differentially expressed lncRNAs were identified. The prognostic model, including AL138889.1, AP000695.2, and AP000695.1, demonstrated that high-risk patients had worse prognosis. Risk scores were significantly associated with tumor stage and clinical features. High-risk groups showed higher gene mutation frequencies and an immunosuppressive microenvironment. Conclusion The BM-associated lncRNA prognostic model effectively stratifies GC patients into high-risk and low-risk groups, providing significant prognostic value. Identified lncRNAs and pathways offer potential therapeutic targets, warranting further research for clinical application.