Invited Review: An update on salivary gland pathology.

Müller S, Thompson LD.
Head Neck Pathol. 2013 Jul;7 Suppl 1:1-2.
FIRST PARAGRAPH: Over the past few decades, salivary gland tumor pathology has evolved. This includes recognition of newly defined entities as well as reclassification of other salivary gland tumors [1]. The development of genetic tests have shown that some salivary gland tumors have genetic abnormalities which are specific to a histologic type such as MECT1/ MAML2 gene fusion in mucoepidermoid carcinoma and PLAG1 or HMGA2 gene translocation in pleomorphic adenoma. Immunohistochemical studies have aided in both the diagnosis and prognosis of salivary gland tumors. High Ki67 is correlated with poor overall survival in mucoepidermoid carcinoma, acinic cell carcinoma and adenoid cystic carcinoma. High MUC1 in mucoepidermoid carcinoma is associated with higher grade and high recurrence while MUC4 is associated with a lower grade tumor and longer disease free survival. The finding of androgen receptors in salivary duct carcinoma has led to new therapies as these tumors are shown to be responsive to androgen deprivation therapy. Newly described salivary gland entities in the past 20 years include both benign (sclerosing polycystic adenosis, sialolipoma) and malignant (cribriform adenocarcinoma of the tongue, mammary analogue secretory carcinoma) tumors [2]. Newly recognized histologic variants of well-known salivary gland tumors have been reported, to include salivary-duct carcinoma, acinic cell carcinoma and epi-myoepithelial carcinoma.
PubMed ID: 23821215
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