Medico Research Chronicles
Tumour Budding as a Predictor of Lymph Node Metastasis in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Retrospective Histopathological Study
By Mukta Saini, Kalpana Kundu, Meenu Beniwal and 2 others.
Abstract
Background
Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is associated with cervical lymph node metastasis, which influences treatment planning and prognosis. Tumour budding, defined as the presence of isolated tumour cells or small clusters at the invasive front, has emerged as a potential histopathological marker of aggressive tumour behaviour. This study evaluated the association between tumour budding and lymph node metastasis in OSCC.
Methods
This retrospective histopathological study included 120 cases of OSCC from a tertiary-care hospital in North India, covering January to December 2021. Clinicopathological characteristics, tumour differentiation, depth of invasion, lymphovascular invasion, perineural invasion, tumour-budding category, and lymph node status were assessed. Tumour budding was classified as Bd1 (low), Bd2 (intermediate), or Bd3 (high). Associations between tumour-budding categories and lymph node metastasis were evaluated using the chi-square test. High budding was also compared with combined low/intermediate budding, with odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).