The consensus sequences of only 2 transcription factors, namely CUTL1 and POU2F1, were present in the 5′ DNA region of both HOXD10 and HOXD11. POU2F1 consensus sequences were also identified in the 5′ DNA region of HOXD8 and HOXD9 which, like HOXD10 and HOXD11, were highly expressed in the HNSCC cell lines. Here, POU2F1 is linked to head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.