Considering data from TCGA repository for OSCC primary tumors, lower gene expression of ALDH7A1 (p-value = 0.027) and SARS (p-value = 0.037) were associated with advanced T status, while the downregulation of transcripts ALDH7A1 (p-value = 0.003), CAD (p-value = 0.021), CANT1 (p-value = 0.044), and SARS (p-value = 0.004 and 0.043) correlated with the presence of lymph node metastasis, advanced histologic grade, presence of lymphovascular invasion, advanced stage and positivity for perineural invasion, respectively (Fig. 5A; supplemental Table S20). Here, CAD is linked to metastatic malignant neoplasm in the lymph nodes.