Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40181975›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in immunology2025

A novel tertiary lymphoid structure-associated signature accurately predicts patient prognosis and facilitates the selection of personalized treatment strategies for HNSCC.

Jinhao Zhang, Lu Zeng, Guobin Song, Gaoge Peng, Zhezheng Chen, Yamin Yuan, Taowu Chen, Tao Zhong, Shixi Chen, Zhengzhou Luo and 2 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in immunology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. The Prognostic Significance of Tertiary Lymphoid Structures in Head and Neck Cancers: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Journal of oral pathology & medicine : official publication of the International Association of Oral Pathologists and the American Academy of Oral Pathology · 2026
    Pooled it
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Jinhao Zhang *School of Stomatology, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China.
Lu Zeng *Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, The Affiliated Stomatological Hospital, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.
Guobin Song *School of Stomatology, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China.
Gaoge Peng *Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer in Shanghai, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China.
Zhezheng ChenDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, The Affiliated Stomatological Hospital, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.
Yamin YuanSchool of Stomatology, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China.
Taowu ChenSchool of Stomatology, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China.
Tao ZhongSchool of Stomatology, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China.
Shixi ChenSchool of Stomatology, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China.
Zhengzhou LuoDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, The Affiliated Stomatological Hospital, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.
Jingang XiaoSchool of Stomatology, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China.
Lin LiuSchool of Stomatology, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, Sichuan, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the most common type of head and neck cancer and is characterized by its aggressive nature and variable prognosis and response to immunotherapy. Tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs) play crucial roles in creating a favourable immune microenvironment to control tumour progression. However, the specific impact of these structures on HNSCC has not been thoroughly studied. Methods: In this study, a comprehensive review of tertiary lymphoid structures was conducted by analysing 9 TLS-associated genes in a cohort of 871 HNSCC patients. Distinct TLS-related subgroups were identified through unsupervised clustering analysis, and the associated genes were explored. Prognostic genes were identified via univariate Cox and Boruta algorithms, and a novel TLS-related scoring system was developed via the GSVA algorithm. Results: Our study revealed that patients with higher TLS-related scores had improved overall survival and were more likely to benefit from immunotherapy. Furthermore, we observed a significant negative correlation between sensitivity to traditional chemotherapeutic agents and the TLS-related signature score. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the TLS-related features of HNSCC patients hold promise as predictive indicators for immunotherapy efficacy and may offer novel insights for tailoring personalized treatment strategies in clinical practice.

Indexed as

Head and Neck NeoplasmsSquamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and NeckTertiary Lymphoid StructuresAgedBiomarkers, TumorFemaleHumansImmunotherapyMaleMiddle AgedPrecision MedicinePrognosisTumor MicroenvironmentBiomarkers, TumorGSVAHNSCCimmunotherapynomogramprognostic signaturetertiary lymphatic structuretumour microenvironment

Identifiers

PMID40181975
PMCPMC11965918

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.