Single-cell RNA-seq of cells from head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) primary tumors and matched metastatic lymph node metastases revealed a subpopulation of cells that co-express both epithelial (KRT14, KRT17, KRT5, and EPCAM) and mesenchymal (TGFB1, LAMC2, ITGA5, and VIM) genes, termed a partial EMT (p-EMT). Here, TGFB1 is linked to head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.