Composite scoring system and optimal tumor budding cut-of number for estimating lymph node metastasis in submucosal colorectal cancer

Tumor budding is associated with lymph node (LN) metastasis in submucosal colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the rate of LN metastasis associated with the number of tumor buds is unknown. Here, we determined the optimal tumor budding cut-of number and developed a composite scoring system (CSS) for estimating LN metastasis of submucosal CRC.