A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Micronests in Tumor Stroma is a Prognostic Classifier in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma
Authors: Almangush, Alhadi; Ruuskanen, Miia; Hagström, Jaana; Kosma, Veli-Matti; Mäkitie, Antti A.; Leivo, Ilmo
Publisher: Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Publication year: 2026
Journal: American Journal of Surgical Pathology
ISSN: 0147-5185
eISSN: 1532-0979
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/PAS.0000000000002531
Publication's open availability at the time of reporting: Open Access
Publication channel's open availability : Partially Open Access publication channel
Web address : https://doi.org/10.1097/pas.0000000000002531
Self-archived copy’s web address: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/515914249
Self-archived copy's licence: CC BY
Self-archived copy's version: Publisher`s PDF
The assessment of micronests in tumor stroma has been introduced recently for the prognostication of human malignancies. In this multicenter study, we included a total of 110 patients treated for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) at one of the Finnish University Hospitals. All available hematoxylin and eosin (H&E)-stained slides were scanned. Assessment of micronests in tumor stroma was conducted on scanned HE-stained slides. Presence of micronests in tumor stroma had a significant prognostic value in predicting overall survival in the multivariable analysis with a hazard ratio (HR) of 1.92 (95% CI: 1.14-3.24, P=0.01). Similarly, in the multivariable analysis of disease-specific survival, micronests in tumor stroma had a significant prognostic value with an HR of 1.87 (95% CI: 1.00-3.48, P=0.04). In addition, the presence of micronests in tumor stroma showed a significant association with keratinizing and EBV-negative tumors (P<0.001). In conclusion, the evaluation of micronests in tumor stroma can be used as a prognostic classifier in NPC and they can be assessed in routine H&E-stained sections.
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Funding information in the publication:
Finnish Cancer Society, Turku University Hospital Fund, Maritza and Reino Salonen Foundation, Helsinki University Hospital Research Fund