Computational framework identifies contributing factors for differences between PANoptosis clusters in multiple cancer types

The importance of inflammatory cell death in cancer is increasingly being recognized as this type of death can promote or stall tumorigenesis depending on the cellular context. A unique form of inflammatory cell death, PANoptosis, has been shown to play a role in cancer proliferation in murine models. Further, a recent computational study has shown that, through pancancer transcriptomic profiling of genes involved in PANoptosis, patients can be stratified into PANoptosis High and PANoptosis Low cluster and this classification has significant differences in prognostic associations (overall survival) for low grade gliomas (LGG), kidney and renal cell carcinoma (KIRC) and skin cutaneous melanoma (SKCM) cancers . Here, we perform a comprehensive comparison of molecular characteristics including genetic, genomic, tumor microenvironment composition and immune activation, and pathway enrichments between PANoptosis High and PANoptosis Low clusters to determine their relevance in driving the differential prognostic associations for LGG, KIRC and SKCM cancers. By identifying various biological features, we can drive better prognostic implications for at risk stratified patient populations based on the PANoptosis phenotype in LGG, KIRC and SKCM cancers.