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Background and Objectives Some patients with early‐stage oral cancer have a poor prognosis owing to the delayed neck metastasis (DNM). Tumor budding is reportedly a promising prognostic marker in many cancers. Moreover, the tissue surrounding a tumor is also considered to play a prognostic role. In this study, we evaluated whether tumor budding and adjacent tissue at the invasive front can be potential novel predictors of DNM in early tongue cancer. Methods In total, 337 patients with early‐stage tongue squamous cell carcinoma were retrospectively reviewed. The patient characteristics and histopathological factors were evaluated for association with DNM. DNM rates were calculated; items which were significant in the univariate analysis were used as explanatory variables, and independent factors for DNM were identified by the multivariate analysis. Results The univariate analysis identified T classification, depth of invasion, tumor budding, vascular invasion, and adjacent tissue at the invasive front as significant predictors of DNM; the multivariate analysis using these factors revealed all the above variables except vascular invasion, which are independent predictors of DNM. Conclusion In addition to conventional predictors, high grade tumor budding and adjacent tissue at the invasive front can serve as useful predictors of DNM in early tongue cancer.

A multi‐institutional study was undertaken to determine whether mandibular canal (MC) invasion and mandibular medullary bone invasion are independent factors in lower gingival squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). A total of 345 patients with lower gingival SCC were retrospectively reviewed. Mandibular bone invasion was categorized into three types; no bone invasion; invasion through cortical bone (medullary); and MC invasion. The overall survival rate and factors affecting local, regional, and distant failures were assessed by Cox proportional hazards regression analysis and Kaplan–Meier estimates. Bone invasion was present in 201 (58%) patients, of whom 107 (31%) had medullary invasion and 94 (27%) had MC invasion. Using the International Union Against Cancer (UICC) staging system and American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) system, 171 (50%) patients were classified as T4a. When the bone invasion criteria were excluded from the UICC/AJCC system definition, 152 T4a tumors were downstaged and reclassified to T1 in 12 (3%), to T2 in 98 (28%), and to T3 in 42 (12%). In Cox multivariate analysis, MC invasion was an independent predictor of overall survival but medullary bone invasion was not. Medullary bone invasion was an independent variable for distant control. The current T staging system has restricted prognostic utility. The authors recommend a modified T staging system, whereby tumors with MC invasion instead of medullary bone invasion are classified as T4a, and tumors are first classified as T1 to T3 based on size and then upstaged by one T classification in the presence of medullary invasion.

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