Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), an aggressive malignancy, is characterized by high morbidity and low survival rates with limited therapeutic options outside of regional surgery, conventional cytotoxic chemotherapy, and irradiation. Increasing studies have supported the synergistic role of the tumor microenvironment (TME) in cancer advancement. The immune system, in particular, plays a key role in surveillance against the initiation, development, and progression of HNSCC. The understanding of how neoplastic cells evolve and evade the immune system whether through self-immunogenicity manipulation, or expression of immunosuppressive mediators, provides the foundation for the development of advanced therapies. Furthermore, the crosstalk between cancer cells and the host immune system have a detrimental effect on the TME promoting angiogenesis, proliferation, and metastasis. This review provides a recent insight into the role of the key inflammatory cells infiltrating the TME, with a focus on reviewing immunological principles related to HNSCC, as cancer immunosurveillance and immune escape, including a brief overview of current immunotherapeutic strategies and ongoing clinical trials.

头颈部鳞状细胞癌 (HNSCC) 是一种侵袭性恶性肿瘤，具有高发病率和低存活率的特点，除了局部手术、常规细胞毒性化疗和放疗外，治疗选择有限。越来越多的研究支持肿瘤微环境 (TME) 在癌症进展中的协同作用。尤其是免疫系统在监测 HNSCC 的发生、发展和进展方面发挥着关键作用。了解肿瘤细胞如何通过自身免疫原性操作或免疫抑制介质的表达来进化和逃避免疫系统，为开发先进疗法奠定了基础。此外，癌细胞与宿主免疫系统之间的串扰对 TME 促进血管生成、增殖和转移具有不利影响。这篇综述提供了对浸润 TME 的关键炎症细胞作用的最新见解，重点回顾了与 HNSCC 相关的免疫学原理，如癌症免疫监视和免疫逃逸，包括对当前免疫治疗策略和正在进行的临床试验的简要概述。