Duchenne muscular dystrophy gene in gastric cancer: an emerging prognostic and therapeutic marker

Gastric cancer (GC) is the fifth most common malignancy worldwide, highlighting the urgent need to elucidate its molecular mechanisms and develop novel therapies. Emerging evidence suggests that abnormal Duchenne muscular dystrophy ( DMD ) gene expression contributes to tumorigenesis; however, its biological role and clinical significance in GC remain unclear. We analyzed DMD expression and its prognostic significance using transcriptome datasets. Tumor microenvironment characteristics and clinical data were evaluated for correlation with immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) responses. Drug sensitivity databases were used to identify potential therapeutic targets, and DMD mutation prevalence and clinical outcomes were assessed using a cohort derived from The Cancer Genome Atlas. DMD was significantly upregulated in GC and was associated with a poor prognosis. High DMD expression correlated with reduced infiltration of inflammatory immune cells and diminished response to ICI therapy. Drug sensitivity analysis identified NEDD4 as a potential therapeutic target for patients with high DMD expression. In contrast, DMD mutations observed within the Cancer Genome Atlas cohort were associated with favorable clinical outcomes after ICI therapy, suggesting that DMD mutation status may serve as an independent predictive biomarker for patients with GC undergoing ICI therapy. DMD expression and mutation status are closely associated with prognosis, tumor immunity, and response to ICI therapy in patients with GC. Therefore, DMD is a promising prognostic biomarker in GC and may inform the development of novel therapeutic strategies.