Previous studies have suggested that EOMES and RUNX3 contribute to the development and homeostasis of effector and memory T cells as well as NK cell differentiation.40–42 Nevertheless, the role of XBP1 in regulating cytotoxic lymphocytes is less well understood,43–45 and the effects of these regulators in immune responses have not been addressed in NPC. Here, RUNX3 is linked to nasopharyngeal carcinoma.