High mutational burden owing to tobacco use, alcohol consumption, or human papillomavirus (HPV) expression might contribute to immunogenicity in head and neck cancer.8, 9, 10, 11 Nevertheless, overexpression of PD‐1 ligand (PD‐L1) could protect cancer cells from tumor‐specific T cells.12 Because tumor‐related regulation of the PD‐1/PD‐L1 axis might lead to evade immune surveillance, and cancer cells expressing PD‐L1 could reduce T‐cell effector activity and terminate immune reactions.13, 14. This evidence concerns the gene CD274 and head and neck cancer.