Glycosylated proteins account for a majority of the post-translation modifications of cell surface, secreted and circulating proteins. Within the tumor microenvironment, the presence of immune cells, extracellular matrix proteins, cell surface receptors and interactions between stroma and tumor cells are all processes mediated by glycan binding and recognition reactions. Changes in glycosylation during tumorigenesis are well documented to occur, and affect all of these associated adhesion and regulatory functions. A MALDI imaging mass spectrometry (MALDI-IMS) workflow for profiling N-linked glycan distributions in fresh/frozen tissues and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues has recently been developed. The key to the approach is the application of a molecular coating of peptide-N-glycosidase to tissues, an enzyme that cleaves asparagine-linked glycans from their protein carrier. The released N-linked glycans can then be analyzed by MALDI-IMS directly on tissue. Generally 40 or more individual glycan structures are routinely detected, and when combined with histopathology localizations, tumor specific glycans are readily grouped relative to non-tumor regions and other structural features. This technique is a recent development and new approach in glycobiology and mass spectrometry imaging research methodology, thus potential uses such as tumor-specific glycan biomarker panels and other applications are discussed.