In this signature, each patient with HNSCC in the TCGA database was assigned a risk score according to the following formula: Risk Score = AP001372.2 * 0.24342 + MIR9-3HG*(− 0.19975) + AL160314.2 * 1.46892 + POLH-AS1 * 0.51725 + AC090587.1 * (−0.41087) + WDFY3-AS2 * 0.96673 + AL109936.2 * (−0.50344). The gene discussed is POLH; the disease is head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.