The prognostic role of single cell invasion and nuclear diameter in early oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma

Abstract

<p><strong>Background: </strong>The clinical significance of single cell invasion and large nuclear diameter is not well documented in early-stage oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OTSCC).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We used hematoxylin and eosin-stained sections to evaluate the presence of single cell invasion and large nuclei in a multicenter cohort of 311 cases treated for early-stage OTSCC.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Single cell invasion was associated in multivariable analysis with poor disease-specific survival (DSS) with a hazard ratio (HR) of 2.089 (95% CI 1.224-3.566, P = 0.007), as well as with disease-free survival (DFS) with a HR of 1.666 (95% CI 1.080-2.571, P = 0.021). Furthermore, large nuclei were associated with worse DSS (HR 2.070, 95% CI 1.216-3.523, P = 0.007) and with DFS in multivariable analysis (HR 1.645, 95% CI 1.067-2.538, P = 0.024).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Single cell invasion and large nuclei can be utilized for classifying early OTSCC into risk groups.</p>