Objective  To explore the mechanism of action of BIRC5 in stem cell therapy for carcinoma of prostate.

Methods  BIRC5 expression in carcinoma of prostate was analysed online using the GEPIA database. Gene data from the GSE3325 and GSE46602 datasets, the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and the cancer genome atlas (TCGA) databases were collated to identify differentially expressed genes. The cBioPortal online analysis platform was utilised to screen for co-expressed genes of BIRC5, whilst the Genecards website was used to screen for stem cell-related genes. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses were conducted to identify key genes and pathways. Key protein-interacting genes were identified through protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis, and the expression of BIRC5 in carcinoma of prostate and its diagnostic utility were clinically validated.

Results  Analysis of the GEPIA database revealed that BIRC5 expression in carcinoma of prostate tissue was significantly higher than in adjacent non-cancerous tissue (P<0.05), suggesting it may promote cancer progression. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs), co-expressed genes and stem cell-related genes to identify DEGs. GO enrichment analysis revealed that these genes are primarily involved in the extracellular matrix, glandular development and drug metabolism–other enzymes. PPI network and Kaplan-Meier survival curve analyses indicated that high BIRC5 expression is significantly associated with survival rates in carcinoma of prostate patients. Based on the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for the BIRC5 biomarker, the ROC results indicate that it holds good potential for disease diagnosis and prognosis (AUC: 0.888, CI: 0.832–0.944).

Conclusion  This study and existing findings indicate that BIRC5 is highly expressed in carcinoma of prostate and various other tumours, acting as an oncogene and a potential therapeutic target, thereby providing new insights and precision strategies for the treatment of carcinoma of prostate stem cells.

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