RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Some malignant salivary gland tumors are known for their propensity to exhibit perineural invasion and vascular metastases. It was hypothesized that alterations in the expression of cell adhesion molecules are involved in these processes. METHODS: The expression and distribution of neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM), HCAM (CD44), platelet-endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM-1), and intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in normal salivary gland tissues and selected salivary gland malignancies, especially adenoid cystic carcinoma (AdCyCa) and polymorphous low-grade adenocarcinoma (PMLG), were determined immunohistochemically, and their influence on histologically demonstrated perineural invasion, vascular invasion, and tumor recurrence/patient death were investigated. RESULTS: NCAM, HCAM, and ICAM-1 were often found to be expressed by neoplastic cells, but no correlation to perineural invasion, tumor behavior, or patient prognosis was found. PECAM-1 was rarely and only focally expressed in three tumors, all of which were related to tumor metastases and patient death. CONCLUSIONS: Immunohistochemical demonstration of NCAM, HCAM, and ICAM-1 is not related to perineural invasion or tumor behavior. PECAM-1 expression was related to vascular invasion and poor patient prognosis in three cases.