Notably, higher levels of HKDC1 expression, as evidenced by transcriptomic and gene expression analyses, were consistently linked to poorer OS and DSS outcomes, particularly in malignancies such as thyroid tumor (THCA), pancreatic ductal carcinoma (PAAD), lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC), among others (see Figs. 6A and 6B). This evidence concerns the gene HKDC1 and squamous cell lung carcinoma.