IL6 and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: These genes mediate immune and inflammatory responses (CSF2, IL1A, IL1B, IL1RN, IL1R2, IL6, and IL8), apoptosis (CDKN1A and IGFBP3), and adhesion (ITGA5, LAMA3, LAMB3 and ICAM1), validated in HNSCC cell lines (Figure 5, and [16]).