SAA levels were not associated with age, gender and tumor location; however, elevated meadian SAA levels were significant for patients with larger tumors (≥ 50 mm; P < 0.001) and for those with more advanced disease, including lymph node metastasis (P = 0.006) and distant metastasis (P < 0.001). Here, SAA1 is linked to metastatic malignant neoplasm in the lymph nodes.