Construction of a Prognostic m6A-related lncRNA Signature to Predict Immunotherapy and Chemotherapy Response in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the main causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) and long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) are two common modifications that affect tumor development and play vital roles in the prognosis of HCC. Therefore, we comprehensively analyzed transcriptome data from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and identified lncRNAs related to m6A regulators. Univariate, LASSO, and multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to build a prognostic model. Patients were then divided into low- and high-risk groups according to the optimal cut-off point. The prognosis value of the novel model was evaluated using Kaplan-Meier analysis and the receiver operating characteristic curve. Besides, mutation and immune profiles together with immune checkpoint expressions were further explored to identify the difference in somatic alteration and tumor immune landscape between the two groups. Additionally, a better response to conventional chemotherapy and immunotherapy was found in patients with the high-risk group, but they were more resistant to sorafenib. The m6A-related lncRNAs model might be used to predict the prognosis and drug responses in patients with HCC.