HOTTIP and metastatic malignant neoplasm in the lymph nodes: High HOTTIP expression was also associated with lymph node metastasis (OR = 2.40, 95% CI: 1.70–3.37, P < 0.001), distant metastasis (OR = 3.30, 95% CI: 1.78–6.12, P < 0.001), poor tumor differentiation (OR = 1.55, 95% CI: 1.03–2.32, P = 0.036) and a poor clinical stage (OR = 3.28, 95% CI: 2.22–4.83, P < 0.001).