Bioinformatics analysis of TCGA-HNSC datasets revealed significant DDR1 overexpression in HNSCC patients, correlating with adverse prognosis and inverse associations with cytotoxic immune markers (CD8B, GZMB, IFNG and IL12B) and lymphocyte infiltration scores, suggesting that DDR1 played a key role in inducing progression and immune escape in HNSCC. This evidence concerns the gene GZMB and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.