- High tumor budding in HNSCC correlates with lower survival rates.
- 26% survival for high tumor budding vs. 85% for low.
- 4.5 buds is the optimal cutoff for survival prediction.
- Higher risk of lymph node metastasis in patients with high tumor budding.
- Lymphovascular invasion noted in 53% of high tumor budding cases.
- Aggressive features like extranodal extension are more common in high tumor budding.
- No clinicopathologic factors independently linked to time to recurrence.
Source: Journal of Clinical Medicine
