Immunohistochemical evaluation of CD44 expression and its correlation with clinicopathological factors and molecular markers (EGFR, STAT3, and lipid metabolism-related proteins) in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

=0.058). These findings suggest that CD44 expression is statistically associated with EGFR, STAT3, and FAS expression in OSCC. Although a direct correlation with clinicopathological aggressiveness was not evident in this study, the co-expression of CD44 with these molecular markers provides a basis for the hypothesis that CSC properties may be interrelated with signal transduction and lipid metabolic reprogramming in oral cancer cells.