Prognostic and predictive factors in gingivo buccal complex squamous cell carcinoma: role of tumor budding and pattern of invasion.

Invasive tumor front (ITF) is the deepest three to six cell layers or detached tumor cell groups at the advancing edge of the tumor. Tumor budding is defined as presence of isolated single cells or small cell clusters scattered in the stroma ahead of the ITF and is characteristic of aggressive cancer. It is recognized as an adverse prognostic factor in several human cancers like colorectal, oesophageal, laryngeal cancers and more recently tongue cancers.