Initially, we examined the TCGA-STAD and observed that GC patients with lower expression of APOE displayed a tendency towards better OS (HR = 1.22, 95% CI: 0.88–1.69, P = 0.23, Figure 4A) and DFS (HR = 2.11, 95% CI: 1.07–4.16, P = 0.027, Figure 4B). Here, APOE is linked to gastric cancer.