The gene expression profiles of metastatic lymph nodes from oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients relative to a control non-cancer cervical lymph node and heterotopic salivary gland tissue identified over eleven thousand genes, and found genes encoding ANXA8, keratin 6C (KRT6C), small proline-rich protein 1B (SPRR1B), and desmoglein 3 (DSG3) that were overexpressed in all metastatic lymph nodes. The gene discussed is DSG3; the disease is oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma.