FABP6 is a New Diagnostic and Prognostic Marker for Bladder Cancer

Abstract

Purpose: Recent studies have shown that fatty acid-binding protein 6 (FABP6) is not only a risk factor for digestive tract tumors, but also a diagnostic marker for digestive tract tumors. This study aimed to extend our understanding by investigating the potential significance of FABP6 in urinary tract tumors, particularly its role in the bladder cancer progression. We aimed to assess whether FABP6 influences bladder cancer progression through immune cell interactions. Methods: Utilizing data from the cancer genome atlas (TCGA) database, the association between FABP6 expression level and clinical data of bladder cancer was analyzed. This investigation aimed to determine the feasibility of FABP6 as a marker gene for the diagnosis and prognosis of bladder cancer. Additionally, the correlation between FABP6 and immune cells in bladder cancer was analyzed. Results: FABP6 was highly expressed in bladder cancer (p < 0.05). The overall survival (OS), progression-free interval (PFI) and disease-specific survival (DSS) in the high FABP6 expression group were higher than those in the low FABP6 expression group (all p < 0.05). The expression of FABP6 was negatively correlated with the infiltration of Th2 cells, macrophages, and Th1 cells (all p < 0.05). Conversely, the expression level of FABP6 was positively correlated with the infiltration of NK CD56^bright cells (all p < 0.05). Conclusion: FABP6 emerges as a promising prognostic marker for bladder cancer. FABP6 may have an impact on the disease progression of bladder cancer by interacting with different types of immune cells in bladder cancer.