Comprehensive gene cluster analysis of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma TCGA RNA-seq data defines B cell immunity-related genes as a robust survival predictor

BACKGROUND The authors aimed to define novel gene expression signatures that are associated with patients' survival with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). METHODS TCGA RNA-seq data were used for gene expression clusters extraction from 499 tumor samples by the "EPIG" method. Tumor samples were then partitioned into lower and higher than median level groups for survival relevant analysis by Kaplan-Meier estimator. RESULTS We found that two gene clusters (_1, _2) are favorably, while two (_3, _4) are unfavorably, associated with patients' survival with HNSCC. Notably, most genes on the top lists of cluster_2 are associated with B cells. A gene expression signature with combined genes from cluster_2 and _4 was further determined to be associated with HNSCC survival rate. CONCLUSION Our work strongly supported a favorable role of B cells in patients' survival with HNSCC and identified a novel coexpressed gene signature as prognostic biomarker for patients' survival with HNSCC estimation.