Tumor Thickness and Histological Grade as Determinants of Sentinel Lymph Node Metastasis in Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Background and

Objectives

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) displays heterogeneous metastatic potential, and the role of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in clinically node-negative patients remains debated. To evaluate tumor thickness and histological grade as predictors of sentinel lymph node (SLN) metastasis in high-risk cSCC and to assess the performance of a simplified pathology-based predictive model. Materials and

Methods

This retrospective single-center study included consecutive patients with high-risk cSCC and clinically N0 status who underwent SLNB. Associations were examined using univariate and multivariable logistic regression, ROC analysis with bootstrap internal validation (2000 iterations), and decision curve analysis.

Results

Thirty-four patients were analyzed; 12 (35.3%) had SLN metastases. SLN-positive patients had greater tumor thickness (median 5.5 mm vs. 3.0 mm, p = 0.006) and higher frequency of G2-G3 histological grade (91.7% vs. 45.5%, p = 0.011). Histological grade was the strongest independent predictor in multivariable analysis (OR 14.61, 95% CI 1.63-131.12). The combined model demonstrated apparently high discrimination in this small cohort (AUC 0.91; bootstrap 95% CI 0.79-0.99), though this estimate should be interpreted with caution given the limited number of events. A 4.0-mm threshold yielded sensitivity 83.3% and NPV 86.7%.

Conclusions

In this exploratory single-center study, tumor thickness and histological grade were complementary predictors of SLN metastasis in cSCC. These findings are preliminary and require validation in larger prospective cohorts.