ZFHX4 and metastatic malignant neoplasm in the lymph nodes: As shown in Fig. 3e, f, high expression of the TWIST1-ceRNET components was significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis and advanced TNM staging (Lymph node metastasis: P = 0.025 for TWIST1, P = 0.005 for SLC12A5, P < 0.001 for ZFHX4; TNM stage: P = 0.008 for TWIST1, P = 0.015 for SLC12A5, P = 0.012 for ZFHX4;).