PRRX1 was found to be upregulated in invasive primary tumors of HNSCC patients and to promote EMT by activating Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) signaling; PRRX1 was found to sustain dormancy in HNSCC cells in vivo by downregulating the expression of miR-642-3p which is associated with tumorigenesis and cell growth. Here, TGFB1 is linked to head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.