CXCL8 and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: Furthermore, a preliminary review of the underlying molecular mechanisms suggests that this process may involve the potential regulation of multiple signaling pathways, including NF-κB, PI3K/Akt/mTOR, IL-6R/JAK/STAT3, CXCL8/CXCR2, TGF-β/Smad, and FGF19-FGFR4.<h4>Conclusions</h4>The existing <i>in vitro</i> evidence suggests that mesenchymal stem cells may exhibit a potential to promote EMT in HNSCC, potentially regulating tumor progression through multiple signaling pathway networks and providing new potential targets for future therapies targeting the TME.