Table 2 Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard analysis of overall survival of HNSCC patients in the training cohort (n = 307)

PITX3 methylation (dichotomized, optimized cut-off 72.5%)

1.80 (1.20–2.69)

0.005^a

2.28 (1.29–4.00)

0.004^a

p16 expression (neg. reference)

0.40 (0.20–0.81)

0.010^a

0.27 (0.11–0.67)

0.005^a

N category

1.28 (1.07–1.53)

0.008^a

1.27 (0.97–1.67)

0.82

T category

1.14 (0.96–1.36)

0.14

1.33 (1.03–1.72)

0.029^a