Dendritic cell（DC） play a key role in systemic immune response against tumor for their ability to initiate primary immune response. The infiltration of DC with different phenotype in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma（HNSCC） patients correlates to tumor prognosis closely. This review will discuss the correlation of tumor prognosis with different subtypes of DC and their infiltration in tumor tissue. Followed by the decreased amount, abnormal maturity and dysfunction of DC in HNSCC patients, including DC in tumor tissue, lymph node and peripheral blood. And then discuss reasons for DC dysfunction and the present research on dendritic cell vaccine.
