The CSCs score, represented by the expression of marker genes for CSCs in NSCLC (NANOG, POU5F1 [CD90], ABCB1, ABCG2, ALDH1A1, CD24, CD44, CXCR4, PROM1 [CD133], EPCAM, ICAM1, ALCAM, MYC, and NES) [40, 41], was significantly upregulated in NEAT1+ tumor cells compared with that in other subclusters, suggesting that NEAT1+ tumor cells present a CSCs phenotype (Fig. 4E and Additional file 1: Fig. S9C). This evidence concerns the gene ALDH1A1 and neoplasm.