Özgecan HAMDEMİR
Van Medical Journal - 2026;33(4):511-517
Introduction: Tumor budding is increasingly recognized as a morphologic indicator of invasive behavior and tumor progression in colorectal adenocarcinoma. The present study investigated the association between tumor budding and clinicopathological features in colorectal adenocarcinomas. Materials and Methods: Ninety-five colorectal adenocarcinoma resection specimens obtained between 2015 and 2025 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients who received neoadjuvant treatment were excluded from the study. Hematoxylin-eosin-stained slides were re-examined, and tumor budding was evaluated according to the International Tumor Budding Consensus Conference (ITBCC) 2016 recommendations. Tumor budding was classified as low, intermediate, or high grade. Relationships between budding status and clinicopathological variables were statistically assessed. Results: Low-, intermediate-, and high-grade tumor budding were detected in 42.1%, 31.6%, and 26.3% of cases, respectively. Significant associations were identified between tumor budding and growth pattern, poorly differentiated clusters, desmoplastic stromal reaction, perineural invasion, lymphovascular invasion, peritumoral inflammatory response, histological grade, and tumor localization (p<0.05). No statistically significant relationship was observed between tumor budding and lymph node metastasis, tumor size, or pT stage (p>0.05). Conclusion: The present findings indicate that tumor budding reflects invasive tumor biology and tumor-stroma interaction in colorectal adenocarcinoma. Its close association with several adverse histopathological parameters supports its potential utility in routine pathological risk assessment.
