We next systematically assessed the role of the candidate molecule solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11) in HNSCC progression and resistance to ferroptosis using loss- and gain-of-function experiments <i>in vitro</i> and xenograft-based assays <i>in vivo</i>. Here, SLC17A1 is linked to head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.