P53 and Ki-67 antigen expression in small oral biopsy specimens of salivary gland tumors.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the possibility that various salivary gland tumors that look histologically similar could express p53 oncoprotein and Ki-67 proliferation antigen differentially and possibly aid in distinguishing benign from malignant lesions.


METHODS
Intraoral paraffin-embedded biopsy specimens of salivary gland tumors were used. Thirty-eight pleomorphic adenomas, 17 adenoid cystic carcinomas, 23 monomorphic adenomas, and 17 polymorphous low-grade adenocarcinomas were stained with p53 and Ki-67 antibodies by using an immunoperoxidase detection system. Each case was evaluated in terms of staining intensity and percentage of cells staining.


RESULTS
Ki-67 and p53 antigens are expressed in generally low levels in the histologically well-differentiated salivary tumors that were studied here, both benign and malignant. Only 1 solid-type adenoid cystic carcinoma showed a high percentage of cells expressing p53.


CONCLUSIONS
The histologically well-differentiated salivary tumors studied do not show differential expression of p53 and Ki-67, in spite of their differing courses of biologic behavior. These antibodies should not be relied on to distinguish benign from malignant lesions of the salivary glands; however, they might be markers for those lesions that are dedifferentiating histologically and, therefore, might be displaying more aggressive behavior.
Lazzaro
B
B
Medical College of Wisconsin, Department of Surgical Pathology, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.
Cleveland
D
D
D000236:Adenoma / Q000276:immunology; D008949:Adenoma, Pleomorphic / Q000276:immunology; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D003528:Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic / Q000276:immunology; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000276:immunology; D018275:Carcinoma, Lobular / Q000276:immunology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000032:analysis*; D016612:Paraffin Embedding; D012468:Salivary Gland Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology*; D012470:Salivary Glands, Minor / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000032:analysis*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53