On the basis of the principle of ceRNA hypothesis, C22orf34, RFPL1S, and LINC00996 shared same expression patterns as CXCL10, CXCL9, CCL5, FCGR3A, and CCR2, all which were upregulated in tumor tissues of PTC with HT compared with those without HT. Here, LINC00996 is linked to hematocrit.