Computational analysis indicated that miR-296-3p targeted PTEN, which regulates the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) signaling pathway and PTEN is involved in the carcinogenesis of SCC. miR-296-3p directly regulated PTEN expression in head and neck cancer cells, with PTEN protein levels decreased in 4/19 the SCCs (21.0%), as compared with those in the IPs (76.4%).