Abstract
OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the mechanistic role of MYLK2 (myosin light chain kinase 2) in breast cancer and assess its potential as a prognostic biomarker for clinical applications. METHODS: We performed a comprehensive analysis using gene expression data from breast cancer patients in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and multivariate Cox regression models were employed to evaluate the association between MYLK2 expression levels and patient survival outcomes. RESULTS: Our findings demonstrate that MYLK2 is significantly overexpressed in tumor tissues compared to normal adjacent tissues (P < 0.05). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed that high MYLK2 expression correlates with poorer overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and disease-specific survival (DSS) (P < 0.05). Furthermore, multivariate Cox regression analysis identified MYLK2 as an independent prognostic factor for adverse outcomes in breast cancer patients. CONCLUSION: This study elucidates the critical biological functions of MYLK2 in breast cancer, suggesting that it may serve as a promising prognostic biomarker. These findings provide new insights for early diagnosis and treatment strategies in breast cancer management.