Scherpelz KP, et al. - Researchers conducted the study for analyzing the prognostic value of viable squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), treatment effect or no SCC in resected lymph nodes in patients who received or did not receive preoperative chemoradiotherapy (preCRT) and postoperative chemoradiotherapy (postCRT). For this investigation, resected cervical lymph nodes from 146 patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) were assessed for viable SCC, treatment effect, or no SCC. When taken in context with the patient's history, the presence of viable SCC in cervical lymph nodes has prognostic import. Among patients with non-oropharyngeal SCC who received preCRT, viable SCC in lymph nodes was significantly related to worse outcome. Results of this study suggested that nucleate keratin debris should not be considered viable SCC in lymph nodes.