Previous studies on HNSCC focused mostly on whole tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells and suggested that the abundance of infiltrating CD8+ T cells was associated with better overall survival (OS).17–19 Further, a subset of CD8+CD103+ tissue-resident memory T cells (TRM) are critical for protective immunity in HNSCC.20,21 However, previous studies have shown that the prognostic value of Tex is controversial. This evidence concerns the gene CD8A and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.