Previous studies have shown that ANXA1 is either upregulated in tumours such as gastric cancer,17, 18, 19, 20 pancreatic carcinoma21 and lung cancer22 and correlated with poor prognosis or downregulated in tumours such as head and neck squamous cell carcinoma23 and nasopharyngeal carcinoma.24 Here, ANXA1 is linked to neoplasm.