In the HPV- HNSCC TCGA database (TIMER2.0 online database), the xCell, EPIC, MCP-counter, and TIDE algorithms showed that downregulation of both hub genes (ALOX12B and SPRR1A) were correlated with increased cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) (Table 4). This evidence concerns the gene SPRR1A and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.