FIGURE 1.

Flowchart. (A) Our study is based on clinical phenotypic data, transcriptome data, genomic data, and tumor microenvironment data in TCGA. (B) First, we compared the differences in clinical characteristics between patients with stage I recurrence or metastasis and patients with other stages based on clinical data. (C) Next, we used transcriptome, genomic, and tumor microenvironment data to explain and analyze the differences in patients with stage I recurrence or metastasis and to identify stage I-specific biomarkers that might predict recurrence or metastasis of early cancer. (D) Finally, we identified specific therapeutic sensitive targets for stage I cancer based on existing therapies. If a patient is found to be at high risk of recurrence or metastasis by the biomarkers we identified, appropriate treatment for the patient’s therapeutic sensitive targets may be considered.