Integrative Network Analysis of Early-Stage Lung Adenocarcinoma Identifies Aurora Kinase Inhibition as Interceptor of Invasion and Progression

Abstract We present a gene signature distinguishing invasive and indolent tumors among early-stage lung adenocarcinoma (esLUAD). An Invasiveness Score estimated using the gene signature was strongly associated with survival of esLUAD patients in multiple independent cohorts and with the invasiveness phenotype in lung cancer cell lines. Regulatory network analysis identified aurora kinase as one of master regulators of the gene signature and perturbation of aurora kinases in vitro and in vivo reduced tumor invasion. Our study suggests aurora kinases as a novel target for treating early-stage invasive lung adenocarcinoma.