The highest risk of death within 5 years was observed in patients with tumours displaying high expression of both EGFR and PODXL in cohort 1 and 3 (unadjusted HR 1.97; 95 % CI 1.18–3.28 and HR 3.56; 95 % CI 1.75–7.22, respectively), remaining significant in adjusted analysis in cohort 3 (HR 3.71; 95 % CI 1.23–11.20). Here, EGFR is linked to neoplasm.