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Tumor Discovery DRGs in HCC prognosis and immunity

indicated by the predominance of red and dark red patches. Multivariate analysis confirmed that the DRG-based
Conversely, in the low-risk group, their expression was risk score and pathologic stage independently predicted
minimal or negligible, as indicated by the predominance HCC prognosis. While age was included in the model, its
of black and dark green patches. This analysis depicts the association with survival outcomes was not statistically
genetic signatures associated with different risk levels in significant, suggesting that the DRG signature and tumor
HCC patients, offering insights into potential therapeutic stage are more critical determinants of prognosis in this
targets and prognostic biomarkers (Figure S1). cohort.

3.1.3. Correlations between the risk score and 3.2. Correlation between prognostic features and
clinicopathological factors clinical features
Univariate Cox regression analysis showed that both 3.2.1. Nomogram and calibration curve
the pathologic stage and risk score were significantly
associated with the survival of HCC patients (p<0.001) The chi-square test was employed to determine whether
(Figure 4A). Furthermore, multivariate Cox regression prognostic characteristics were associated with the
analysis indicated a significant association with both the development of HCC. The results revealed significant
risk score and pathologic stage (p<0.001) (Figure 4B). These differences between the two subgroups in terms of
findings suggest that DRG-based characterization serves pathologic stage (p<0.01) and pathologic T (p<0.01). In
as an independent predictive factor for HCC patients. contrast, no significant differences were observed for age
(p=0.171), sex (p=0.153), pathologic N (p=0.413), and
pathologic M (p=0.575) (Figures S2 and S3).
A
In addition, stratified analysis was conducted to assess
the prognostic importance of DRGs in both risk groups.
The results indicated that DRG-based characteristics were
significant predictors for age ≤65 years (p=0.001), age
>65 years (p=0.017), female (p=0.017), male (p<0.001),
stages I – II of pathologic stage (p<0.001), T1 – T2 stages of
pathologic T (p<0.001), N0 of pathologic N (p<0.001), and
low tumor grade (p<0.001). However, DRG-based features
were less effective in predicting stages III – IV of the
pathologic stage (p=0.282), T3 – T4 stages of pathologic
T (p=0.234), N1–2–3 of pathologic N (p=1.000), and high
tumor grade (p=0.077) (Figure S4).

A nomogram was developed to predict survival in HCC
B patients further, incorporating tumor grade, pathological
stage, risk score, and age to estimate 1-, 3-, and 5-year
survival rates (Figure 5A). The calibration curve exhibited
minor deviations from the reference gray line, and the
consistency indices for the nomogram were 0.9 (1 year),
0.771 (3 years), and 0.662 (5 years), indicating that the
actual patient survival closely matched the predicted values
(Figure 5B). These results confirm the favorable predictive
ability of the nomogram.

3.3. Functional enrichment analyses and PPI
GO and KEGG enrichment analyses were performed to
elucidate the potential roles of differentially expressed
DRGs. The GO enrichment analysis revealed that
18 DRGs were significantly associated with the regulation
of actin filament-based processes, platelet aggregation,
Figure 4. Modeling of risk score correlations with clinical factors.
(A) Forest plot for univariate Cox regression analysis. (B) Forest plot for homotypic cell-cell adhesion, platelet activation, and
multivariate Cox regression analysis. blood coagulation. Among these, six DRGs were explicitly

Volume 4 Issue 2 (2025) 72 doi: 10.36922/td.8214