title: Analysis of inflammatory infiltrate, perineural invasion, and risk score can indicate concurrent metastasis in squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In this retrospective study, the aim was to compare individual histopathologic parameters of malignancy between nonmetastatic and metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-two cases of squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue were selected and examined according to the system established by Brandwein-Gensler et al (Am J Surg Pathol 29:167, 2005) and included the pattern of invasion (most to least favorable), lymphocytic infiltration, perineural invasion, risk score, keratinization, eosinophilia, perivascular invasion, and tumor thickness.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The least favorable pattern had no association with nodal metastasis (P > .05). The scarcity or density of the lymphocytic infiltration, perineural invasion, and a risk score ≥ 3 were associated with nodal metastasis (P < .05). Keratinization, eosinophilia, perivascular invasion, and tumor thickness had no association with nodal metastasis (P > .05). A significant positive correlation was found between the pattern of invasion and perineural invasion and between the pattern of invasion and tumor thickness (P < .05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The scarcity or density of the lymphocytic infiltration, perineural invasion, and histopathologic risk score may be helpful as parameters of histologic malignancy for the evaluation of metastatic and nonmetastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue.
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program, Oral Pathology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil.
authors.forename: Felipe Rodrigues
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: de Matos
authors.forename: Emeline das Neves de Araújo
authors.initials: Ed
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.forename: Lélia Maria Guedes
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Queiroz
authors.forename: Ericka Janine Dantas
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: da Silveira
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary*; D002634:Chemotaxis, Leukocyte / Q000502:physiology; D004802:Eosinophilia / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000473:pathology; D007633:Keratins / Q000032:analysis; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D055806:Microvessels / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000473:pathology; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000473:pathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D015996:Survival Rate; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D007633:Keratins