The silencing of the CMA accelerator, LAMP2A, precipitates the accumulation of STING and TBK1 proteins within HNSCC cells (based on LAMP2A expression levels in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck cell lines, Fadu and HN8 cell lines were selected for this study), while mRNA expression remains insignificantly altered. Here, TBK1 is linked to squamous cell carcinoma.