Autologous CD34+ stem cell humanization in head and neck cancer modeling: The translational importance of T cell maturation

•Pre-clinical head and neck models for identifying mechanisms of resistance to immunotherapy are needed.•This study identifies a critical limitation of PDX models developed from autologously engrafted human stem cells.•Aberrant immune versus tumor response was observed in PDX models generated from autologous patient bone marrow.•Mature patient T cells are necessary in humanized PDX models to correctly reproduce T cell response in pre-clinical models.