Tumor budding (defined as single neoplastic cells or clusters up to five cells at the invasive front of CRC) may represent a new prognostic marker in colorectal cancer. In particular, it could be useful to indentify those pT3N0M0 "high risk" patients who may benefit of additional therapeutic regimen.
Interestingly, tumor budding can be assessed also in pre-operative biopsy and in cancers other than CRCs.
Overview of the histomorphological and molecular features of the tumour centre, invasive front and tumour buds in CRC. Reproduced from Zlobec and Lugli, 2010.
Bibliography.
Wang LM, Kevans D, Mulcahy H, O'Sullivan J, Fennelly D, Hyland J, O'Donoghue D, Sheahan K. Tumor budding is a strong and reproducible prognostic marker in T3N0 colorectal cancer. Am J Surg Pathol. 2009 Jan;33(1):134-41.
Rogers AC, Gibbons D, Hanly AM, Hyland JM, O'Connell PR, Winter DC, Sheahan K. Prognostic significance of tumor budding in rectal cancer biopsies before neoadjuvant therapy. Mod Pathol. 2014 Jan;27(1):156-62.
Giger OT, Comtesse SC, Lugli A, Zlobec I, Kurrer MO. Intra-tumoral budding in preoperative biopsy specimens predicts lymph node and distant metastasis in patients with colorectal cancer. Mod Pathol. 2012 Jul;25(7):1048-53.
