Estrogen receptors in normal salivary gland and salivary gland carcinoma.

To access for possible hormone dependence, 19 samples of normal salivary gland tissue and 14 samples of salivary gland carcinoma were quantitatively analyzed for estrogen receptor (ER) content. A receptor protein content of greater than or equal to 1 fmol/mg of cytosol protein was considered positive. Ten (77%) of 13 histologically normal samples, and four (80%) of five tumor samples obtained from male patients contained ER by this criterion, as did five (83%) of six normal samples and eight (88%) of nine tumor samples obtained from female patients. Mean ER concentrations plus or minus SE in male-derived samples were 2.02 +/- .42 fmol/mg of cytosol protein for normal tissue and 4.35 +/- 1.5 fmol/mg of cytosol protein for tumor tissue; mean ER concentrations in female-derived samples were 3.48 +/- 1.1 fmol/mg of cytosol protein for normal tissue and 12.64 +/- 6.4 fmol/mg of cytosol protein for tumor tissue. Four of eight tumors in women had levels considered to be "hormonally dependent" in breast carcinoma. These findings indicate that salivary gland carcinomas may be hormone-dependent.

True malignant mixed tumor of the submandibular gland.

A case of true malignant mixed tumor of the submandibular gland is reported. The submandibular tumor, occurring in a 52-year-old man, started to grow rapidly after a long history without any change in size. Surgical resection was carried out and the resected tumor measured 5.5 cm with a cut surface showing mixed solid structures. Microscopically, the tumor had both carcinomatous and sarcomatous elements, the former consisting of poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma with squamous cell differentiation and the latter consisting of osteosarcoma with chondrosarcomatous and fibrosarcomatous elements. A remnant of benign pleomorphic adenoma could also be identified. Immunohistochemical study demonstrated keratin and epithelial membrane antigen in the carcinoma cells and vimentin in all elements of the osteosarcoma. It is assumed from these clinical and histological findings that the tumor had transformed from a pre-existing benign pleomorphic adenoma.

Localization of S-100 protein and glial fibrillary acidic protein-related antigen in pleomorphic adenoma of the salivary glands.

Pleomorphic adenoma of the salivary glands was studied by the peroxidase-antiperoxidase method and Ouchterlony's double diffusion for the presence of so-called nervous system-specific proteins, S-100 protein, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and astroprotein. Positive immunostaining for S-100 protein was observed in tumor cells of epithelial, myxomatous, and chondroid areas. An immunodiffusion test confirmed its presence in the tumor. Normal salivary glands were also stained with anti-S-100 serum, but the reaction was less intense than that of tumor. Specific immunostaining for GFAP and astroprotein was found in a small number of cells of myxomatous and chondroid areas and occasionally in cells in epithelial areas. An immunodiffusion test suggests that the GFAP-related antigen of the pleomorphic adenoma showing a minor heterogeneity of antigenic determinants is almost identical with GFAP. Normal salivary glands did not stain with GFAP or astroprotein antisera, nor did they react with anti-GFAP serum by immunodiffusion. Thus, the S-100 protein and GFAP-related antigen may be actively synthesized in adenoma cells during the course of tumor development. In addition, the GFAP-related antigen is considered to be a tumor-associated antigen of pleomorphic adenoma of the salivary glands.

Prognosis of salivary adenocarcinomas. A retrospective study of 52 cases with special regard to cytochemically assessed nuclear DNA content.

52 salivary adenocarcinomas of the years 1965-1980 from the files of the Salivary Gland Registry, Institute of Pathology, University of Hamburg, were evaluated retrospectively with regard to clinical follow up and cytochemically assessed nuclear DNA content. The age distribution showed a peak from the 6th to 8th decade (range 3 to 87 years). The m:f ratio was 1:1.36, the mean age was 59.3 years. Over 80% of the tumours were located in the major salivary glands. The clinical course was characterized by metastases present at initial diagnosis (16 cases), subsequent development of metastases (9 cases), local recurrence (15 cases) or death from tumour (10 cases) and was related to differentiation, grade 3 tumours showing the worse clinical courses. In 37 cases, nuclear DNA content was determined by a single scanning cytophotometry device. 28 cases were diploid, 9 were atypical. The clinical course was significantly related to the histogram type, atypical tumours showing a dismal prognosis.

The application of microspectrocytofluorometric measurement of Feulgen nuclear DNA content to experimental tumors of rat submandibular gland. 1. Pathogensis and nuclear DNA content.

Pellets containing 9,10-dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene (DMBA) were inserted into the submandibular glands of 65 male Fischer rats to determine the nuclear DNA content of both metaplastic epithelium during the process of development of squamous metaplasia (noted at 1, 2, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, 13 and 15 weeks after insertion) and tumor cells of squamous cell carcinoma 24 weeks after insertion. From the second week of insertion onward, squamous metaplasia was found in excretory duct remaining epithelium in the tissues around the pellet. Dysplasia or a lining of metaplastic epithelium with atypia adjacent to pellets (i.e., formation of an epidermal cyst) was observed 5 weeks after insertion. Coincident with this dysplasia or metaplastic epithelium with atypia, variation in the nuclear DNA content was observed, showing the emergence of octaploids and a widespread histogram pattern with many peaks. Between 7 and 15 weeks, 25%-66% of the lining metaplastic epithelium showed variation in the nuclear DNA content due to shift of a peak (major mode) to a triploid as well as a vague major mode with the appearance of octaploids, etc. Tumors of the submandibular gland were recognized at 24 weeks in 11 (55%) of 20 rats. Nine were keratinized squamous cell carcinomas and the remaining 2 were carcinosarcomas. Marked abnormalities in the nuclear DNA content were observed in 5 of the 11 rats (45.5%), 3 with keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma and 2 with carcinosarcomas. In contrast, no marked variation in the nuclear DNA content was found in 5 rats in which the tumor was associated with cysts.

Salivary duct carcinoma (cribriform salivary carcinoma of excretory ducts). A clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical study of 12 cases.

Salivary duct carcinoma (cribriform salivary carcinoma of the excretory ducts [CSCED]) is an uncommon malignant tumor which occurs predominantly in men (83% in this series; mean age, 61 years) and most often in the parotid gland (92% in this series). The outcome is unfavorable for most patients; of 11 of 12 patients with follow-up, 45% had local recurrence, 54% had distant metastasis, and 45% were dead of disease within 10 years of diagnosis (mean, 3 years). Metastases to lymph nodes were common (72%). Immunohistochemical studies on paraffin-embedded tissue revealed that most tumors reacted with antibodies known to mark adenocarcinoma: B72.3 (11 of 11) and Lewis Y (ten of ten). High and low molecular weight cytokeratins were present in most tumors (nine of ten and seven of nine cases, respectively), supporting the concept that these adenocarcinomas were of ductal origin. Parotid ducts adjacent to CSCED expressed B72.3 in six of nine cases studied, but parotid ducts from normal tissue (adjacent to benign mixed tumors or enlarged periparotid lymph nodes) rarely expressed this marker (one of 17 cases). The detection of B72.3 diffusely in parotid ducts, especially those with atypia, may imply the presence of malignant tumor nearby, which could be useful in evaluating limited tissue from the parotid. However, further studies are necessary to confirm the significance of this finding.