A pan-cancer analysis of HAVCR1 with a focus on diagnostic, prognostic and immunological roles in human cancers

Objectives: Cancer is one of the most prominent causes of death world wide. Identification of novel cancer biomarkers woud help with cancer diagnosis and possible treatment. Methods: In this study, we comprehensively studied the diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic values of the hepatitis A virus cellular receptor 1 (HAVCR1) gene across multiple cancers from a pan-cancer point of view via a detailed in silico approach. Results: HAVCR1 expression was up-regulated in a variety of malignancies. The up-regulated HAVCR1 was closely related to the poor prognosis in patients with esophageal carcinoma (ESCA), lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), and stomach adenocarcinoma (STAD). Moreover, DAVID analysis showed that HAVCR1, along with different other associated genes, was involved in numerous cancer-associated signaling pathways across ESCA, STAD, and LUAD. Furthermore, in these cancers, HAVCR1 was also found closely associated with some other parameters such as promoter methylation, tumor purity, level of CD8+ T immune cells, genomic alterations, and chemotherapeutic drugs. Conclusion: HAVCR1 was overexpressed in multiple tumors. However, the up-regulated HAVCR1 is a valuable diagnostic and prognostic biomarker as well as a therapeutic target in only ESCA, STAD, and LUAD patients.