Our findings demonstrate multiple patterns of immune escape mechanisms in NPC, including the loss of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules in malignant cells, induction of epithelial–mesenchymal transition in fibroblast‐like malignant cells and the use of hyperplastic cells in tumour nests to protect tumour cells from immune infiltration. This evidence concerns the gene HLA-C and nasopharyngeal carcinoma.