First, we found the expression levels of four novel hub genes (CENPL, ISG20L2, MRPL3, and LSM4) were significantly higher in the subjects aged ≤ 51 years, and high expression of CENPL, ISG20L2, MRPL3, and LSM4 were associated with lymph node metastasis and higher SBR grade (P < 0.05, Fig. 3a−c). Here, CENPL is linked to metastatic malignant neoplasm in the lymph nodes.