# Identification of multigene predictors of prognosis in patients with ovarian cancer **Authors:** Xia Liu, Xiaoying Chen, Lihe Jiang, Yuting Su, Cong Wang, Zhe Du, Sanqi An, Daizheng Huang, Fuqiang Yin PMC · DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2026.114932 · iScience · 2026-02-06 ## TL;DR Researchers identified multigene combinations that predict survival in ovarian cancer patients, offering better tools for clinical decision-making. ## Contribution The study identifies novel multigene models involving ALDH1A2, DCN, GATA6, and PDGFRA for predicting ovarian cancer prognosis. ## Key findings - 25 multigene models predict at least 5-year overall survival in ovarian cancer patients. - DCN + GATA6 combination predicts the longest overall survival of 90 months. - Most prognostic genes correlate with immune cell abundance, particularly macrophages. ## Abstract The high recurrence and mortality of ovarian cancer (OC) necessitate reliable prognostic tools. As multigene models outperform single-gene markers, they are crucial for advancing clinical decision-making. From 4 microarray datasets (N = 859) and a large OC cohort (N = 1793), we identified 87 overall survival (OS)- and/or progression-free survival (PFS)-associated genes. Multigene models revealed that 25 combinations and 5 combinations predicted at least 5-year OS and 5-year PFS, respectively. Notably, compared with all combinations of 4 randomly selected genes, combinations involving ALDH1A2, DCN, GATA6, and PDGFRA were frequent among the top 20 OS models; 6 combinations predicted at least 50-month OS, and tissue microarray (155 OC samples) analyses confirmed this. Particularly, DCN + GATA6 predicted the longest OS (90 months), with a survival difference of 3 years. Most genes correlated with immune cell abundance, especially macrophage abundance. Overall, these genes/combinations serve as valuable biomarkers to optimize OC clinical management. •Multigene models outperform single genes in prognostic prediction for OC•25 and 5 multigene models predict at least 5-year OS and 5-year PFS, respectively•ALDH1A2, DCN, GATA6, PDGFRA, and their combinations are novel prognostic markers for OC•OC prognostic genes correlate with the immune microenvironment, especially macrophages Multigene models outperform single genes in prognostic prediction for OC 25 and 5 multigene models predict at least 5-year OS and 5-year PFS, respectively ALDH1A2, DCN, GATA6, PDGFRA, and their combinations are novel prognostic markers for OC OC prognostic genes correlate with the immune microenvironment, especially macrophages Health sciences; medicine; oncology; health technology ## Linked entities - **Genes:** ALDH1A2 (aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 family member A2) [NCBI Gene 8854], DCN (decorin) [NCBI Gene 1634], GATA6 (GATA binding protein 6) [NCBI Gene 2627], PDGFRA (platelet derived growth factor receptor alpha) [NCBI Gene 5156] - **Diseases:** ovarian cancer (MONDO:0005140) ## Full-text entities - **Genes:** ARL4C (ARF like GTPase 4C) [NCBI Gene 10123] {aka ARL7, LAK}, GOT2 (glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase 2) [NCBI Gene 2806] {aka DEE82, KAT4, KATIV, KYAT4, mitAAT}, PEG3 (paternally expressed 3) [NCBI Gene 5178] {aka PW1, ZKSCAN22, ZNF904, ZSCAN24}, UVRAG (UV radiation resistance associated) [NCBI Gene 7405] {aka DHTX, VPS38, p63}, MRPS12 (mitochondrial ribosomal protein S12) [NCBI Gene 6183] {aka MPR-S12, MT-RPS12, RPMS12, RPS12, RPSM12, uS12m}, PPP1R12B (protein phosphatase 1 regulatory subunit 12B) [NCBI Gene 4660] {aka M20, MYPT2, PP1bp55}, CACNA1C (calcium voltage-gated channel subunit alpha1 C) [NCBI Gene 775] {aka CACH2, CACN2, CACNA1C-IT2, CACNL1A1, CCHL1A1, CaV1.2}, HERC5 (HECT and RLD domain containing E3 ubiquitin protein ligase 5) [NCBI Gene 51191] {aka CEB1, CEBP1}, CIRBP (cold inducible RNA binding protein) [NCBI Gene 1153] {aka CIRP}, ASF1B (anti-silencing function 1B histone chaperone) [NCBI Gene 55723] {aka CIA-II}, PSMA2 (proteasome 20S subunit alpha 2) [NCBI Gene 5683] {aka HC3, MU, PMSA2, PSC2}, CTLA4 (cytotoxic T-lymphocyte associated protein 4) [NCBI Gene 1493] {aka ALPS5, CD, CD152, CELIAC3, CTLA-4, GRD4}, GTF2IRD1 (GTF2I repeat domain containing 1) [NCBI Gene 9569] {aka BEN, CREAM1, GTF3, MUSTRD1, RBAP2, WBS}, CD276 (CD276 molecule) [NCBI Gene 80381] {aka 4Ig-B7-H3, B7-H3, B7H3, B7RP-2}, RTN3 (reticulon 3) [NCBI Gene 10313] {aka ASYIP, HAP, NSPL2, NSPLII, RTN3-A1}, MDFIC (MyoD family inhibitor domain containing) [NCBI Gene 29969] {aka HIC, LMPHM12, MDFIC1}, UBL3 (ubiquitin like 3) [NCBI Gene 5412] {aka HCG-1, PNSC1}, FLAD1 (flavin adenine dinucleotide synthetase 1) [NCBI Gene 80308] {aka FAD1, FADS, LSMFLAD, PP591}, EIF4G1 (eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4 gamma 1) [NCBI Gene 1981] {aka EIF-4G1, EIF4F, EIF4G, EIF4GI, P220, PARK18}, PRPF40A (pre-mRNA processing factor 40A) [NCBI Gene 55660] {aka FBP-11, FBP11, FLAF1, FNBP3, HIP-10, HIP10}, SCRIB (scribble planar cell polarity protein) [NCBI Gene 23513] {aka CRIB1, SCRB1, SCRIB1, Vartul, oSCRIB}, SHMT2 (serine hydroxymethyltransferase 2) [NCBI Gene 6472] {aka GLYA, HEL-S-51e, NEDCASB, SHMT, mSHMT}, PSMB2 (proteasome 20S subunit beta 2) [NCBI Gene 5690] {aka HC7-I}, SOCS2 (suppressor of cytokine signaling 2) [NCBI Gene 8835] {aka CIS2, Cish2, SOCS-2, SSI-2, SSI2, STATI2}, PROS1 (protein S) [NCBI Gene 5627] {aka PROS, PS21, PS22, PS23, PS24, PS25}, SLC7A11 (solute carrier family 7 member 11) [NCBI Gene 23657] {aka CCBR1, xCT}, PDGFC (platelet derived growth factor C) [NCBI Gene 56034] {aka FALLOTEIN, SCDGF}, MYCL (MYCL proto-oncogene, bHLH transcription factor) [NCBI Gene 4610] {aka L-Myc, LMYC, MYCL1, bHLHe38}, WDR19 (WD repeat domain 19) [NCBI Gene 57728] {aka ATD5, CED4, CFAP66, DYF-2, FAP66, IFT144}, ALDH1A2 (aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 family member A2) [NCBI Gene 8854] {aka DIH4, RALDH(II), RALDH2, RALDH2-T}, RPL15 (ribosomal protein L15) [NCBI Gene 6138] {aka DBA12, EC45, L15, RPL10, RPLY10, RPYL10}, PRKCI (protein kinase C iota) [NCBI Gene 5584] {aka DXS1179E, PKCI, nPKC-iota}, ASMTL (acetylserotonin O-methyltransferase like) [NCBI Gene 8623] {aka ASMTLX, ASMTLY, ASTML}, GLMP (glycosylated lysosomal membrane protein) [NCBI Gene 112770] {aka C1orf85, NCU-G1, lnc-UCID}, PEA15 (proliferation and apoptosis adaptor protein 15) [NCBI Gene 8682] {aka HMAT1, HUMMAT1H, MAT1, MAT1H, PEA-15, PED}, TACC1 (transforming acidic coiled-coil containing protein 1) [NCBI Gene 6867] {aka Ga55}, CCND2 (cyclin D2) [NCBI Gene 894] {aka KIAK0002, MPPH3}, PSD4 (pleckstrin and Sec7 domain containing 4) [NCBI Gene 23550] {aka EFA6B, TIC}, NBR1 (NBR1 autophagy cargo receptor) [NCBI Gene 4077] {aka 1A1-3B, IAI3B, M17S2, MIG19}, STX8 (syntaxin 8) [NCBI Gene 9482] {aka CARB}, OSBPL1A (oxysterol binding protein like 1A) [NCBI Gene 114876] {aka ORP-1, ORP1, OSBPL1B}, MAGEB6 (MAGE family member B6) [NCBI Gene 158809] {aka CT3.4, MAGE-B6, MAGEB6A}, SPP1 (secreted phosphoprotein 1) [NCBI Gene 6696] {aka BNSP, BSPI, ETA-1, OPN}, STX17 (syntaxin 17) [NCBI Gene 55014], VSIR (V-set immunoregulatory receptor) [NCBI Gene 64115] {aka B7-H5, B7H5, C10orf54, DD1alpha, Dies1, GI24}, RBCK1 (RANBP2-type and C3HC4-type zinc finger containing 1) [NCBI Gene 10616] {aka C20orf18, HOIL-1, HOIL1, PBMEI, PGBM1, RBCK2}, DCN (decorin) [NCBI Gene 1634] {aka CSCD, DSPG2, PG40, PGII, PGS2, SLRR1B}, C4BPA (complement component 4 binding protein alpha) [NCBI Gene 722] {aka C4BP, PRP}, CACNB2 (calcium voltage-gated channel auxiliary subunit beta 2) [NCBI Gene 783] {aka CAB2, CACNLB2, CAVB2, MYSB}, TRPV1 (transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily V member 1) [NCBI Gene 7442] {aka VR1}, CCL2 (C-C motif chemokine ligand 2) [NCBI Gene 6347] {aka GDCF-2, HC11, HSMCR30, MCAF, MCP-1, MCP1}, DDX39A (DExD-box helicase 39A) [NCBI Gene 10212] {aka BAT1, BAT1L, DDX39, DDXL, URH49}, CD8A (CD8 subunit alpha) [NCBI Gene 925] {aka CD8, CD8alpha, IMD116, Leu2, p32}, WDR76 (WD repeat domain 76) [NCBI Gene 79968] {aka CDW14, CMR1}, KIF22 (kinesin family member 22) [NCBI Gene 3835] {aka A-328A3.2, KID, KNSL4, OBP, OBP-1, OBP-2}, CX3CL1 (C-X3-C motif chemokine ligand 1) [NCBI Gene 6376] {aka ABCD-3, C3Xkine, CXC3, CXC3C, NTN, NTT}, MAOB (monoamine oxidase B) [NCBI Gene 4129], CAV1 (caveolin 1) [NCBI Gene 857] {aka BSCL3, CGL3, LCCNS, MSTP085, PPH3, VIP21}, FHL1 (four and a half LIM domains 1) [NCBI Gene 2273] {aka FCMSU, FHL-1, FHL1A, FHL1B, FLH1A, KYOT}, TMT1A (thiol methyltransferase 1A) [NCBI Gene 25840] {aka AAM-B, AAMB, METTL7A} - **Diseases:** deaths (MESH:D003643), OS (MESH:D011475), metastasis (MESH:D009362), glioma (MESH:D005910), serous (MESH:D018297), cancer (MESH:D009369), OC (MESH:D010051), breast cancer (MESH:D001943), bladder cancer (MESH:D001749), liver cancer (MESH:D006528) - **Chemicals:** Hematoxylin (MESH:D006416), paraffin (MESH:D010232), hydrogen peroxide (MESH:D006861), diaminobenzidine (-), H&E (MESH:D006371), xylene (MESH:D014992), water (MESH:D014867), citric acid (MESH:D019343), formalin (MESH:D005557), ethanol (MESH:D000431), eosin (MESH:D004801), hydrochloric acid (MESH:D006851) - **Species:** Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606] - **Mutations:** C0105S, C0163M ## Full text _Full body text omitted from this summary view._ Fetch the complete paper as Markdown: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12936820/full.md ## Figures 5 figures with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12936820/full.md ## References 76 references — full list in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12936820/full.md --- Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12936820