Expression analysis of SOX2 and SOX9 in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma

Background Lately SOX2 and SOX9, transcription factors associated with stemness‐like phenotypes of cancer cells, have been linked to tumor growth, metastasis, and resistance to therapy. Methods This study aimed on evaluating the expression of SOX2 and SOX9 in a large cohort of patients with OSCC including primary and recurrent tumors and corresponding lymph node metastases. Semiautomatic digital pathology scoring was used to determine protein expression and survival analysis was performed to evaluate its prognostic significance. Results We found a significant downregulation of SOX9 from primary disease to lymph node metastases (p