Nonmetastatic Lymph Node Histological Architecture Is Associated With Metastasis, Recurrence, and Survival in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Introduction: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a common cancer, with a high propensity for regional lymph node metastasis (LnM), resulting in 5-year survival rates of only 40%-50%. The premetastatic niche (PMN), a modified lymph node microenvironment preparing for future metastasis, is poorly understood. This study analyzes the histomorphological features of nonmetastatic lymph nodes from OSCC patients, stratified by the presence or absence of regional cervical LnM.