To compare the basic killing activity between patient NK cells and NK cells from healthy individuals, freshly isolated, non-stimulated NK cells from both, patients and HCs were co-incubated overnight (37°C, 5% CO2) with corresponding HNSCC PP (high sMICA/TGF-β1) or associated HC plasma (low sMICA/TGF-β1). This evidence concerns the gene TGFB1 and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.