Comparative analysis of the cellular profile and architecture of metastatic and non-metastatic lymph nodes

Lymph nodes (LN) serve a crucial role in host defense against cancer. Oral cancer commonly metastasizes to the LN, which is a marker for poor prognosis. The mechanisms behind tumor metastasis in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) remain elusive despite the study of cellular and molecular tumor characteristics. We hypothesize that tumor-draining LN develop alterations in their infrastructure and inflammatory cell populations prior to...