Lymph Node Ratio and its Association with Histopathological Parameters in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Cross-sectional Study

Introduction

Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the most common malignancies of the oral cavity and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Cervical lymph node metastasis is an important prognostic factor influencing disease outcome. The lymph node ratio (LNR), defined as the ratio of metastatic lymph nodes to the total number of lymph nodes examined, has emerged as a useful prognostic marker reflecting the extent of nodal metastatic burden and potentially providing additional prognostic information beyond conventional nodal staging.