Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma(HNSCC) is an aggressive neoplasm with the properties of local recurrence and distant metastasis.Currently,cisplatin-based chemotherapy or concurrent radiochemotherapy is still the first choice or the treatment of advanced HNSCC.However,chemoresistance greatly limited the effectiveness of chemotherapy.Therefore,illustrating the mechanisms of chemoresistance is very important for the treatment of HNSCC.In this article,we summarize the molecular mechanisms of chemoresitance in HNSCC from the perspective of drug efflux,apoptosis,DNA damage and repair,epithelial mesenchymal transition and autophagy.