Collectively, the results from three independent cohorts of HNSCC patients treated with intended curative surgery demonstrate, that LIMA1 IHC (OS in cohort 1: P = 0.006, cohort 3: P = 0.041, cohort 4: P < 0.001) could be a clinical practice-changing diagnostic approach for identification of patients that will have favorable response to curative intent surgery. This evidence concerns the gene LIMA1 and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.