The Prognostic Significance of MAFK and its Methylation in Cervical Cancer

Abstract Background: The purpose of this study was to determine the value of MAFK as a biomarker of cervical cancer prognosis and to explore its methylation and possible cellular signaling pathways. Methods: We analyzed the cervical cancer data of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) through bioinformatics, including MAFK expression, methylation, prognosis and genome enrichment analysis. Results: MAFK expression was higher in cervical cancer tissues and was negatively correlated with the methylation levels of five CpG sites. MAFK is an independent prognostic factor of cervical cancer and is involved in the Nod-like receptor signaling pathway. CMap analysis screened four drug candidates for cervical cancer treatment. Conclusions: We confirmed that MAFK is a novel prognostic biomarker for cervical cancer and aberrant methylation may also affect MAFK expression and carcinogenesis. This study provides a new molecular target for the prognostic evaluation and treatment of cervical cancer.