When combined into the same model in addition comprising the co-variates age and HPV, both IL6 (HR: 4.7, 95% CI 1.0–22.5, p-value 0.049) and CRP (HR: 5.6, 95% CI 1.2–26.0, p-value 0.028) predicted HNSCC-specific survival. Here, IL6 is linked to head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.