In studies with breast cancer [42], head and neck squamous cell carcinoma [35, 36], acute myeloid leukemia [43] and myeloma cells [44], Studies have revealed that DSF impedes tumor cell proliferation by activating the JNK pathway, thereby elevating the intracellular levels of phosphorylated JNK, phosphorylated c-Jun, and phosphorylated P38 upon DSF exposure (Fig. 3). Here, MAPK8 is linked to head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.