However, CXCL8 protein expression was not correlated with age (≤50 years compared with >50 years, P=0.527), tumor size (≤4 cm compared with >4 cm, P=0.812), and lymph node metastasis (absent compared with present; P=0.282). Here, CXCL8 is linked to metastatic malignant neoplasm in the lymph nodes.