However, if we classified the patients based on the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging of lymph node (N) metastasis status, we noted higher mdig expression only predicted poorer OS of AJCC N0 (no regional lymph node metastasis) and AJCC N1 (possible proximal lymph node metastasis) patients, but not the AJCC N2 patients who had distant lymph node metastasis (Figs. 5B, 5C and 5D). Here, RIOX2 is linked to metastatic malignant neoplasm in the lymph nodes.