In head & neck squamous cell carcinoma cells, the autophagic cargo adapter p62/SQSTM1 is augmenting the activation and full processing of caspase 8 by capturing ubiquitinated caspase 8 into aggresome-like structures, necessary for subsequent apoptosis induction upon radiation treatment [22]. This evidence concerns the gene SQSTM1 and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.