Our in vivo findings with a representative chemokine/cytokine-inducing mutant (D303G) suggest that some caspase-8 mutants, like WT caspase-8, may impact the immune composition of the HNSCC tumor microenvironment, presumably via modulation of the chemokine/cytokine milieu. This evidence concerns the gene CASP8 and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.