Combined TP53 status in tumor-free resection margins and circulating microRNA profiling predicts the risk of locoregional recurrence in head and neck cancer

Locoregional recurrences represent a frequently unexpected problem in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Relapse often (10–30%) occurs in patients with histologically negative resection margins (RMs), probably due to residual tumor cells or hidden pre-cancerous lesions in normal mucosa, both missed by histopathological examination. Therefore, definition of a ‘clean’ or tumor-negative RM is controversial, demanding for novel …