IL6 and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: To confirm the role of IL-6 in the activation of Nrf2 in EpCAMhigh cells, we assessed IL-6 mRNA transcripts from a group of HNSCC patient tumors treated either with chemotherapy (cisplatin; n = 10, doxorubicin; n = 10) or chemo-radiotherapy (CRT; n = 10) or tumors obtained after debulking surgery (n = 10) without treatment.