Stage-dependent and heterogeneous tumor association of Fusobacterium nucleatum in Romanian patients with colon adenocarcinoma

Figure 3 Cycle threshold values according to preoperative N stage. A: MicroRNA-21 (miR-21) cycle threshold (Ct) values according to preoperative N stage. miR-21 Ct values stratified by nodal status (N stage). Individual values demonstrate substantial overlap between nodal categories, indicating no significant association between miR-21 expression and lymph node involvement; B: FS17 tumor Ct values according to preoperative nodal status. FS17-derived Ct values for Fusobacterium nucleatum (F. nucleatum) detection in tumor tissue stratified by nodal stage (N0-N2). A progressive increase in Ct values is observed with advancing nodal involvement, although substantial overlap between groups is present; C: FS17 Ct values in adjacent non-tumoral tissue according to nodal status. Boxplot illustrating FS17-derived Ct values for F. nucleatum detection in adjacent non-tumoral tissue stratified by nodal stage. Overlapping distributions indicate no significant association between bacterial detection in adjacent tissue and nodal involvement. miR-21: MicroRNA-21.