Recurrent primary tumor status (P = 0.035), recurrent lymph node metastasis (P = 0.003), high CRP level (≥5.0 mg/L) (P<0.001), high SCC-Ag level (≥2.0 ng/ml) (P = 0.001), and distant metastasis (P<0.001) were found to significantly influence OS after recurrence (Table 3). Here, CRP is linked to metastatic malignant neoplasm in the lymph nodes.