- - - Oral and Maxillofacial Diseases Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- - - Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, School of Dentistry, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- - - Department of Radiotherapy Oncology and Cancer Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- - - Oral and Maxillofacial Diseases Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- - - Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, School of Dentistry, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
- - - Oral and Maxillofacial Diseases Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

Background & Objective: The present study investigated the relationship between invasive front (IF) of tumors and clinicopathological parameters including stage, grade, nodal involvement, lymphocytic host response (LHR), recurrence, overall survival (OS), and disease-free survival (DFS).Methods: A total of ۸۷ oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) biopsies were evaluated. Clinical stage, grading, nodal involvement, time of recurrence, OS, and DFS were assessed. The number of tumor budding cells in the IF was measured by two pathologists with an optic microscope. IF was graded to low risk (<۵) and high risk (>۵), according to the counting of tumor budding as a single cancer cell or cluster cells. Also, LHR was reported in the IF as mild, moderate, and severe.Results: IF was reported in ۴۳.۷% of patients as a low-risk group and ۴۹.۴% as a high-risk group. LHR was also mild in ۳۱%, moderate in ۲۵.۳%, and severe in ۴۳.۷% of the patients. Most of the patients were in stage IV (۳۱%) and grade ۱ (۶۰.۹%). The high risk IF group had a significant statistical relationship with stage (P=۰.۰۰۱), grade (P=۰.۰۳۹), five years OS (P=۰.۰۳), five years DSF (P=۰.۰۱), and lymph node involvement (P=۰.۰۰۷). The relation between LHR and stage of disease was significant (P=۰.۰۳۴).Conclusion: Considering the important role of histopathological reports in the treatment plan of patients and the relationship between IF and clinical parameters, IF evaluation in routine histopathological examinations, especially in the early stages of OSCC, seems to be necessary.

Invasive Front, Lymphocyte Host Response, Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Survival analysis