ONCOLOGY LETTERS 28 - Comprehensive pan-cancer analysis of MTDH for human tumor prognosis and as an immunological biomarker including breast and kidney cancer

Sep 21, 2026

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Metadherin (MTDH), a well-recognized oncogene, is analyzed across multiple cancer types to clarify its role in tumor biology and immune regulation. Using integrated bioinformatics resources including The Cancer Genome Atlas, the study identifies cancer-type-specific expression patterns and links MTDH to tumor mutational burden and microsatellite instability. Results further connect MTDH levels with clinical prognosis, genetic alterations, and immune-cell infiltration, supporting its relevance to the tumor microenvironment. MTDH may represent a promising prognostic indicator and immunotherapy-related target.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages17

Reading Time43 min

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Abstract

Introduction

Cancer and tumor microenvironment context

Immunotherapy and checkpoint blockade rationale

Background on metadherin (MTDH)

Reported roles of MTDH in diverse cancers

Materials and Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion

ONCOLOGY LETTERS 28: 349, 2024 Comprehensive pan‑cancer analysis of MTDH for human tumor prognosis and as an immunological biomarker including breast and kidney cancer LIXIAN YANG 1 , MINGQIANG HAN2 , XIAOLING ZHAO3 , LEI ZHENG 1 , FANTING KONG 1 , SHIYU ZHANG 1 , LINING JIA 1 , XIAOWEI LI 1 and MENG WANG 1 1 2 Department of Breast Surgery, Xingtai People's Hospital, Xingtai, Hebei 054001, P.R. China; Department of Thyroid Surgery, Xingtai People's Hospital, Xingtai, Hebei 054001, P.R. China; 3Oncology Laboratory, Xingtai People's Hospital, Xingtai, Hebei 054001, P.R. China Received February 26, 2024; Accepted May 13, 2024 DOI: 10. 3892/ol.2024.14482 Abstract. Metadherin (MTDH), initially discovered in primary astrocytes of the human fetus through rapid subtrac‑ tion hybridization and labeled as astrocyte elevated gene‑1, represents a widely recognized oncogene present in multiple types of cancers . However, the role of MTDH in different types of cancer remains unclear. To address this, a compre‑ hensive analysis of MTDH across various types of cancers was conducted by utilizing multiple databases such as The Cancer Genome Atlas. The present analysis discovered that MTDH exhibits differential expression in different types of cancer and is associated with important factors including tumor mutational burden and microsatellite instability. These findings highlighted the significance of MTDH in the tumor microenvironment and its involvement in the development of immune cells in specific cancers. Furthermore, the results of the present study indicated that the expression of MTDHis strongly correlated with clinical prognosis, mutations and immune cell infiltration. MTDH could serve as a potential Correspondence to: Dr Lixian Yang, Department of Breast Surgery, Xingtai People's Hospital, 818 Xiangdu Road, Xiangdu, Xingtai, Hebei 054001, P.R. China E‑mail: [yanglixian@hebmu.edu.cn](yanglixian@hebmu.edu.cn) Abbreviations: GBM, glioblastoma multiforme; LGG, lower grade glioma; BRCA, breast cancer; LUAD, lung adenocarcinoma; ESCA, esophageal carcinoma; STES, stomach and esophageal carcinoma; COAD, colon adenocarcinoma; PRAD, prostate adenocarcinoma; STAD, stomach adenocarcinoma; HNSC, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma; KIRC, kidney renal clear cell carcinoma; LUSC, lungsquamous cell carcinoma; LIHC, liver hepatocellular carcinoma; SKCM, skin cutaneous melanoma; THCA, thyroid cancer; READ, rectum adenocarcinoma; OV, ovarian serous cystadenocarcinoma; PAAD, pancreatic adenocarcinoma; LAML, acute myeloid leukemia; CHOL, cholangiocarcinoma; ACC, adrenocortical cancer Key words: metadherin, prognosis, immune cell infiltration, pan‑cancer indicator of patient prognosis and potentially play a role in modulating the immune system. Given its potential as a novel immunological checkpoint, MTDH may be a viable target for tumor immunotherapy. Introduction Remarkable advancements have occurred in the last few decades regarding cancer diagnostic techniques and treatment approaches, leading to enhanced patient survival rates and overall well‑being. Nevertheless, cancer remains a substan‑ tial cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, imposing a considerable strain on healthcare systems and economies (1) . The tumor microenvironment (TME) plays a crucial function in the initiation and advancement of human malignancies and encompasses diverse cell types, including a substantial frac‑ tion of infiltrating immune cells (2) . The interactions between immune components and stromal elements in TMEs remain unclear. The identification of tumor‑immune cell interactions was made possible by the emergence of immune therapeutic vaccines and checkpoint blockade (3) . Immunotherapy has emerged as a successful method of treating different forms of cancer by reinvigorating the immune system of the body (4) . In contrast to conventional cancer therapies, immunotherapy utilizes checkpoint‑blocking drugs such as anti‑CTLA‑4, anti‑PD‑1 and

FAQs

What is the main purpose of the pan-cancer analysis of MTDH?

To determine how MTDH functions across different cancer types and to clarify its relationship with tumor prognosis and immune-related features.

Which datasets and analytical resources are used in the study?

The analysis integrates multiple databases, including The Cancer Genome Atlas.

How is MTDH associated with tumor features and immune biology?

MTDH shows differential expression among cancers and is linked with tumor mutational burden, microsatellite instability, and immune-cell infiltration in the tumor microenvironment.

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Hazel