Radiotherapy-Related Autophagy Genes Predict Prognosis and Reveal Immunoscape Features and Immunotherapeutic Agents in Colorectal Cancer Patients

Numerous genes have been associated with colorectal cancer (CRC) treatment in prior studies, but the impact of radiotherapy-related autophagy genes (RRAGs) on CRC remains largely unexplored. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases were implemented to screen out RRAGs significantly associated with survival, and a prognostic model was constructed. Samples were categorized into high- and low-risk groups with median riskscore. Immunomicroenvironment analysis, immunotherapy response prediction, enrichment analysis, tumor mutation analysis and drug prediction were performed in risk groups. Expression of signature genes in CRC cells was examined using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). There were 10 CRC-related RRAGs found. Prognostic models were built with RRAGs. Based on immune infiltration analysis, low-risk populations showed significantly greater levels of immune infiltration (P P ARHGEF17 mutation rate was 6%. Medications such as CGP-082996, Dasatinib, Erlotinib, and Salubrinal were more sensitive to high-risk group, whereas drugs such as FTI-277, DMOG, and Crizotinib were more sensitive to low-risk group. UGT1A6 and IRGM were significantly upregulated in tumor group as revealed by qRT-PCR. This study constructed a new prognostic model for CRC patients based on RRAGs, and a series of analysis results is conducive to providing more theoretical references and new insights into precision treatment of CRC patients.