Univariate survival analysis revealed that FN overexpression significantly correlated with lower disease-free survival (DFS) and OS in HNSCC patients with both early (high versus low FN; DFS, mean 37.6 versus 57.8 months, P=0.0001; and OS, mean 40.5 versus 61.3 months; P=0.0001) and late-stage disease (high versus low FN; DFS, mean 16.8 versus 31.6 months, P=0.0001; and OS, mean 17.7 versus 34.5 months, P=0.0001; Fig. 1b). The gene discussed is FN1; the disease is head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.