In patients with oropharyngeal cancers (HPV-associated and HPV-negative), we found that hypermethylation of ATP2A1, DNAJC5G, GNMT, GPT, LYNX1, MAL, and MRGPRF were associated with significantly reduced DFS, with hazard ratios of 4.17 (95% confidence interval (CI), 1.24–14.02), 4.00 (95% CI: 1.36–11.78), 2.96 (95% CI: 1.04–8.42), 3.22 (95% CI: 1.17–8.87), 3.65 (95% CI: 1.17–11.44), 2.97 (95% CI: 1.05–8.42), and 3.80 (95% CI: 1.31–11.02), respectively (Fig. 4b). The gene discussed is MAL; the disease is oropharynx cancer.