S100A8 and S100A9 were directly correlated (ρ ≥ 0.30, p < 0.05, Spearman correlation) with 107 (of 584) downregulated genes in HNSCC, which were enriched in functions including cellular development and differentiation, cell-to-cell signaling and interaction, and cell morphology as discussed above. Here, S100A9 is linked to head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.