C16orf74 is a novel prognostic biomarker and associates with immune infiltration in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Summary: Head and neck cancer is a tough disease to treat. Scientists have found a new clue in the body called C16orf74. When a patient has too much of this clue, their cancer is usually worse, and they do not live as long. It also acts like a shield, stopping the body's immune system from fighting the cancer by blocking important defender cells. This makes standard immune treatments work less well. But the good news is that knowing about this clue can help doctors pick better, specific drugs to fight the cancer.