Work

Spatial single-cell analysis reveals tumor microenvironment signatures predictive of oral cavity cancer outcome

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Up to 20% of patients with early-stage oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) develop postoperative relapse, but no parameters currently enable the identification of individuals with poor prognosis. Here, we report a spatially resolved single-cell analysis of the tumor microenvironment in OSCC. By analyzing >700,000 cells for 25 proteins using imaging mass cytometry, we discover leukocyte and endothelial cell phenotypes that are independent prognostic factors for survival. Most notably, the presence of proliferating lymphatic endothelial cells (KI67 + PROX1 + ), which show distinct molecular signature in transcriptomic analyses, in the invasive tumor margin strongly predicts poor recurrence-free survival in early-stage OSCC. We validate our findings in an independent OSCC cohort using an easy-to-measure KI67 + PROX1 + immunostaining biomarker assay and multivariate analyses of recurrence-free, disease-specific, and overall survival. Thus, our data highlight the role of tumor microenvironment in OSCC progression and its potential impact on treatment strategies. • Spatial single-cell analyses of the tumor microenvironment in oral cavity cancer • Proliferating lymphatic endothelial cells are an independent prognostic biomarker • The biomarker is informative regardless of smoking status and in many treatment arms • The KI67 + PROX1 + biomarker outperforms TNM staging in early-stage oral cavity cancer Identifying those patients who progress to fatal disease after surgical treatment of early-stage OSCC is an unmet clinical need. Using TME proteomic single-cell analyses, Näsiaho et al. discover that proliferating LECs at the tumor’s invasive margin serve as a clinically measurable independent adverse prognostic biomarker in two independent patient cohorts.

Source: Cell Reports Medicine

DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2026.102615

Authors: Joni Näsiaho, Linda Nissi, Sami Ventelä, Heikki Irjala, Marko Salmi

Institutions: University of Turku, Turku University Hospital, Åbo Akademi University

Language: English

Topic: Head and Neck Cancer Studies

Subfield: Otorhinolaryngology

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $5,620