Data from: Identification of biomarkers for Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer staging and overall survival of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

The aim of the current study was to identify biomarkers that correlate
with the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) staging system and prognosis
of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We downloaded 4 gene
expression datasets from the Gene Expression Omnibus database
(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo), and screened for genes that were
differentially expressed between HCC and normal liver tissues, using
significance analysis of the microarray algorithm. We used a weighted gene
co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) to identify hub genes that
correlate with BCLC staging, functional enrichment analysis to associate
hub genes with their functions, protein-protein interaction network
analysis to identify interactions among hub genes, UALCAN analysis to
assess gene expression levels based on tumour stage, and survival analyses
to clarify the effects of hub genes on patients' overall survival
(OS). We identified 50 relevant hub genes using WGCNA; among them, 13
genes (including TIGD5, C8ORF33, NUDCD1, INSB8, and STIP1) correlated with
OS and BCLC staging. Significantly enriched gene ontology biological
process terms included RNA processing, non-coding RNA processing and
phosphodiester bond hydrolysis, and 6 genes were found to interact with 10
or more hub genes. We identified several candidate biomarkers that
correlate with BCLC staging and OS of HCC. These genes might be used for
prognostic assessment and selection of HCC patients for surgery,
especially those with intermediate or advanced disease.