Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40227667›Full record

ArticleCancers2025

Prognostic Value of SOX2 and NANOG Expression in Recurrent Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Mohamed Falougy, Clara Taubitz, Mohab Ragab, Akshay Patil, Justus Jensen, Steffen Hoppe, Christiane Kümpers, Julika Ribbat-Idel, Dirk Rades, Samer George Hakim

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cancers, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
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

10 authors.

Mohamed FalougyDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Head and Neck Cancer Center, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, 23562 Lübeck, Germany.
Clara TaubitzDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Head and Neck Cancer Center, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, 23562 Lübeck, Germany.
Mohab RagabDepartment of Internal Medicine II, Klinikum Rechts der Isar, TUM School of Medicine and Health, Technical University of Munich, 81675 Munich, Germany.
Akshay PatilDerby Clinical Trials Support Unit, University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust, Derby DE22 3NE, UK.ORCID 0000-0001-7308-6069
Justus JensenDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Head and Neck Cancer Center, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, 23562 Lübeck, Germany.
Steffen HoppeDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Head and Neck Cancer Center, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, 23562 Lübeck, Germany.
Christiane KümpersInstitute of Pathology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, 23562 Lübeck, Germany.
Julika Ribbat-IdelInstitute of Pathology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, 23562 Lübeck, Germany.ORCID 0000-0003-1262-6572
Dirk RadesDepartment of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, 23562 Lübeck, Germany.
Samer George HakimDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Head and Neck Cancer Center, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, 23562 Lübeck, Germany.ORCID 0000-0003-2652-5553

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundRecurrent oral squamous cell carcinoma (re-OSCC) poses a serious therapeutic challenge and is linked to poor survival outcomes. SOX2 and NANOG, key transcription factors in cancer stem cell biology, may drive tumor progression and therapy resistance. However, their prognostic value in re-OSCC and their relationship to adjuvant therapy remain unclear.

methodsWe retrospectively analyzed a single-center cohort of 94 patients with re-OSCC treated with curative intent via (1) surgery alone, (2) surgery plus adjuvant radiotherapy (RT), or (3) surgery plus adjuvant radiochemotherapy (RCT). Tissue microarrays (TMAs) were constructed from matched primary and recurrent tumors and immunohistochemical (IHC) staining for SOX2, and NANOG was quantified using H-scores. Post-recurrence overall survival (prOS) and post-recurrence disease-free survival (prDFS) were evaluated using Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazards models.

resultsSOX2 expression and survival: Elevated SOX2 expression (H-score > 14) in re-OSCC was significantly associated with improved prOS (

conclusionSOX2 overexpression in re-OSCC correlates with better survival, suggesting a unique prognostic role distinct from primary disease. Adjuvant therapy, especially RCT, appears to maintain or elevate SOX2 levels, potentially contributing to improved treatment response. In contrast, although NANOG expression decreases in recurrence, particularly in patients who undergo surgery alone, it does not significantly affect survival outcomes. These findings underscore the importance of context-specific biomarker assessments and provide a rationale for incorporating SOX2 status into personalized treatment strategies for re-OSCC.

Indexed as

disease-free survivalimmunohistochemistryNANOGoral squamous cell carcinomaoverall survivalprognostic biomarkersSOX2

Identifiers

PMID40227667
PMCPMC11987986

What Socratic holds

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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 Socratic graph.