Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42283899›Full record

ArticleClinical oral investigations2026

Age-specific patterns of lymph node involvement in elderly patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma: a retrospective cohort study.

A M Schmitz, N Kern, M Brauckmann, C Hoffmann, F Mrosk, C Rendenbach, C Doll, M Richter, M Heiland, S Koerdt

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Article in Clinical oral investigations, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

A M SchmitzDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany. alina-marie.schmitz@charite.de.
N KernDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany.
M BrauckmannDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany.
C HoffmannDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany.
F MroskDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany.
C RendenbachDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany.
C DollDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany.
M RichterDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany.
M HeilandDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany.
S KoerdtDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesAge-related alterations in lymphatic and immune function may influence nodal disease patterns in elderly patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). This study aimed to evaluate the association between chronological age and lymph node metastasis (LNM) and to assess whether the lymph node ratio (LNR) retains prognostic relevance for overall survival (OS) across different elderly age groups. MATERIALS AND

methodsThis retrospective cohort study included 363 patients aged ≥ 65 years who underwent primary surgical treatment for OSCC. Age was analyzed both as predefined age groups and as a continuous variable using natural cubic spline modeling. Associations between age and LNM were examined using logistic regression. The impact of age and LNR on OS was evaluated using Cox proportional hazards models, supplemented by time-dependent receiver operating characteristic analyses.

resultsChronological age showed no significant linear association with LNM, while spline analyses indicated only a weak non-linear relationship. Higher comorbidity burden was inversely associated with LNM. LNR was not correlated with age and showed comparable distributions across elderly age strata. In survival analyses, LNR demonstrated a strong non-linear association with OS, whereas age exerted only a modest effect. Overall survival did not differ significantly between elderly age groups.

conclusionsChronological age alone was not a major determinant of nodal involvement or survival in elderly OSCC patients. LNR remained a robust prognostic indicator independent of age. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: LNR may aid in risk stratification and postoperative decision-making in elderly OSCC patients, supporting individualized oncologic management beyond chronological age alone.

Indexed as

Carcinoma, Squamous CellLymphatic MetastasisMouth NeoplasmsAgedAged, 80 and overAge FactorsFemaleHumansMaleNeoplasm StagingPrognosisRetrospective StudiesSurvival RateElderlyLymph node metastasisLymph node ratioOral squamous cell carcinoma

Identifiers

PMID42283899
PMCPMC13263194

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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.