We determined that the HPN level in tumor tissues was negatively associated with the infiltration levels of B cells (r = − 0.222, P = 3.27e−05), CD8 + T cells (r = − 0.26, P = 1.05e-06), macrophages (r = − 0.257, P = 1.53e−06), neutrophils (r = − 0.221, P = 3.39e-05) and dendritic cells (r = − 0.29, P = 5.01e-08) (Fig. 6b). This evidence concerns the gene CD8A and neoplasm.