HNSCC TME is infiltrated with lymphocytes (TILs) and their subsets such as CD8+ cytotoxic T cells, CD4+ helper T cells, CD163+ and CD68+ macrophages and MDSCs, CD57+ NK cells, FOXP3+ T-regulatory (Tregs) cells36,37 attributing prognostic value to TILs. The gene discussed is CD8A; the disease is head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.