Herein, we provide further evidence to this hypothesis, by demonstrating in FOSCC a high prevalence (69%) of mutations in the DNA binding domain of TP53. This is also the most frequent site of somatic genomic alterations in HNSCC, and the most important region for folding and stabilization of the tertiary structure of the protein, suggesting the importance of the loss of function of the p53 pathway in the development and progression of oral cancer in both species. This evidence concerns the gene TP53 and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.