Cross-Platform External Validation of a Locked 12-Gene Prognostic Panel in Lung Adenocarcinoma Benchmarked Against Pathological Stage

Background/Objectives: A prognostic gene panel is clinically useful only if its risk ranking survives transfer across measurement platforms and adds information to pathological stage. We evaluated the cross-platform transportability of a 12-gene panel selected in TCGA-LUAD and fixed before external scoring, separating panel performance from model choice and benchmarking it against stage.

Methods

Selection used 504 TCGA patients and genes measurable on all validation platforms. Five molecular survival learners received identical gene inputs; age-and-sex and stage-based Cox models served as clinical comparators. External evaluation included 1066 patients in GSE72094, GSE68465 and GSE31210. Discrimination, paired model differences, prognostic value beyond stage, calibration and selection stability were assessed.