Identification and validation of immune-related lncRNAs-associated prognostic risk model in skin cutaneous melanoma

Abstract

Abstract Background: Immune infiltration is the key to various diseases and implicated in cancer progression and oncogenesis. However, the potential diagnostic value of immune-related lncRNAs in skin cutaneous melanoma (SKCM) remains unclear. Methods: Immune-related lncRNAs that were expressed in SKCM samples were investigated using Pearson correlation analysis. The prognostic risk score model was built using the LASSO and univariate and Cox multivariate regressions. The accuracy and prognostic value of risk score were validated by using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, Kaplan-Meier (K-M) survival, univariate and multivariate COX analyses. Results: 98 lncRNAs had a significant effect on the survival of SKCM patients. The OS rate of SKCM patients with high-risk score was decreased compared to the patients with low-risk score. Our risk model had an accurate diagnose ability for SKCM in the training and testing sets. A nomogram based on age, tumor stage, gender and risk score that had a strong ability to forecast 1-, 2-, 3-, 5-year OS of SKCM patients. In addition, risk score was negatively correlated with infiltration of eight immune cells. Conclusion: Five immune-related lncRNAs and a prognostic risk score model associated with SKCM prognosis and immune infiltrations might help us evaluate several immune-related targets for SKCM therapy.