Of the 16 DEHGs identified, HOXA11, HOXB7, HOXB13, HOXC4, HOXC6, HOXC8, HOXC9, HOXC10, HOXD10, HOXD13 showed missense mutations, HOXB7 had a nonsense mutation, and HOXD13 had an in-frame deletion in the HNSCC tissue samples (n = 24) (Fig. 2a, b). Here, HOXC9 is linked to head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.