The crude hazard ratio (HR) of the MUC5B high expression group (score ≥ 9) compared to the MUC5B low expression group (score < 9) was 2.658 (95% CI, 1.260–5.608; P = 0.0102), which indicated that MUC5B-high expression status increased the hazard of lung cancer-related death. Here, MUC5B is linked to lung cancer.