Background: This study was mainly to explore and study the potential application of lipoxygenases (ALOX) family genes in the diagnostic and prognostic values of colon adenocarcinoma (COAD).
Methods: Data sets related to the ALOX genes of COAD were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas and the University of California, Santa Cruz Xena browser. Then, the relevant biological information was downloaded from the public data platform. Finally, the bioinformatics technologies and clinical verification were employed to comprehensively analyze the potential values of ALOX genes.
Results: The Pearson correlation analysis indicated that there were correlations among ALOXE3 , ALOX5 , ALOX12 , and ALOX12B . The diagnostic receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves suggested that ALOXE3  and ALOX12  had significant diagnosis in COAD: ALOXE3; P < 0.001, area under curve (AUC) 95%CI:=0.818 (0.773– 0.862) and ALOX12 ; P < 0.001, AUC 95%CI=0.774 (0.682– 0.807). Besides, the verification study indicated that ALOX12  had a diagnostic value in COAD. Finally, our multivariate survival analysis and comprehensive prognosis of ALOX genes in COAD suggested that the ALOXE3  and ALOX12  were associated with COAD overall survival: ALOXE3 ; P =0.025, HR 95%CI=1.765 (1.074– 2.901), ALOX12 ; P =0.046, HR 95%CI=1.680 (1.009– 2.796), and the low expression of ALOXE3  and ALOX12  had a favorable prognosis of COAD (all P < 0.05); on the contrary, the high regulation of them increased the risk of death.
Conclusion: In our study, we observed that the mRNA expressions of ALOX genes were associated with the diagnosis and prognosis of COAD. The results of the diagnostic analysis suggested that ALOX12  might have a diagnosis value in COAD. Besides, our comprehensive prognosis analysis indicated that ALOXE3  combined ALOX12  might serve as potential prognosis biomarkers for COAD.
Keywords: mRNA, colon adenocarcinoma, diagnostic, prognostic, The Cancer Genome Atlas, lipoxygenases