7 genes (CKMT1, HKDC1, AURKA, FRK, CHEK1, EIF2AK1, and BORA) were further evaluated as candidate genes involved in NSCLC tumorigenesis excluded those genes are well studied in cancer or the value of Log2FC < 1 (Additional file 3: Fig. S1B). Here, HKDC1 is linked to cancer.