It has been well documented that NF-κB confers sensitivity of HNSCC tumours to radiotherapy and has a direct association with patient prognosis.44–46 We would like to determine whether radiotherapy induces IKKβ kinase activity and whether CmpdA-induced inhibition of IKKβ improves the efficacy of radiotherapy in HNSCC. This evidence concerns the gene IKBKB and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.