Identification of a prognostic long noncoding RNA signature in lung squamous cell carcinoma: a population-based study with a mean follow-up of 3.5 years

BACKGROUND: Lung squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) is a form of cancer that is associated with high rates of relapse, poor responsiveness to therapy, and a relatively poor prognosis. The relationship between long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) expression and LSCC patient prognosis remains to be established. METHODS: In the present study, we discovered that lncRNAs were differentially expressed in LSCC tumor tissues relative to normal control tissues, and we explored the prognostic relevance of these lncRNA expression patterns using data from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). RESULTS: These multidimensional data were analyzed in order to identify lncRNA signatures that were associated with LSCC patient survival outcomes. Kaplan-Meier survival curves revealed prognostic capabilities for three of these lncRNAs (LINC02555, APCDD1L-DT and OTX2-AS1). A Cox regression analysis revealed this three-lncRNA signature to be significantly associated with patient survival. Further GO and KEGG analyses revealed that the predicted target genes of these three lncRNAs were also potentially involved in cancer-associated pathways. CONCLUSIONS: Together these results thus indicate that this novel three-lncRNA signature can be used to predict LSCC patient prognosis. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13690-021-00588-2.