Deep Clustering-Based Metabolic Stratification of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients Through Integration of Somatic Mutation Profile and Network Propagation Algorithm.

As a common malignancy of the lower respiratory tract, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) represents a major oncological challenge globally, characterized by high incidence and mortality rates. Recent research highlights the critical involvement of somatic mutations in the onset and development of NSCLC. Stratification of NSCLC patients based on somatic mutation data could facilitate the identification of patients likely to respond to personalized therapeutic strategies. However, stratification of NSCLC patients using somatic mutation data is challenging due to the sparseness of this data. In this study, based on sparse somatic mutation data from 4581 NSCLC patients from the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) database, we systematically evaluate the metabolic pathway activity in NSCLC patients through the application of network propagation algorithm and computational biology algorithms. Based on these metabolic pathways associated with prognosis, as recognized through univariate Cox regression analysis, NSCLC patients are stratified using the deep clustering algorithm to explore the optimal classification strategy, thereby establishing biologically meaningful metabolic subtypes of NSCLC patients. The precise NSCLC metabolic subtypes obtained from the network propagation algorithm and deep clustering algorithm are systematically evaluated and validated for survival benefits of immunotherapy. Our research marks progress towards developing a universal approach for classifying NSCLC patients based solely on somatic mutation profiles, employing deep clustering algorithm. The implementation of our research will help to deepen the analysis of NSCLC patients' metabolic subtypes from the perspective of tumor microenvironment, providing a strong basis for the formulation of more precise personalized treatment plans.