Mucin expression in pleomorphic adenoma of salivary gland: a potential role for MUC1 as a marker to predict recurrence.
BACKGROUND
Pleomorphic adenoma of the salivary gland (PA) is essentially a benign neoplasm. However, patients with recurrent PA are difficult to manage. There are rare reports on useful immunohistochemical markers to detect a high risk of recurrence when the primary lesions are resected.


OBJECTIVE
To find a new marker to predict the recurrence of PA.


METHODS
Primary lesions of PA were collected from nine patients showing subsequent recurrence and from 40 patients without recurrence during at least 10 years of follow up of the disease. Paraffin wax embedded tumour samples of the two groups were examined for the expression profiles of MUC1 (differentially glycosylated forms), MUC2, MUC4, MUC5AC, and MUC6 using immunohistochemistry. Several clinicopathological factors were also examined.


RESULTS
In univariate analysis of the factors examined, MUC1/DF3 high expression (more than 30% of the neoplastic cells stained) in the primary lesions was seen more frequently in patients with recurrence (four of nine) than in those without recurrence (three of 40; p = 0.011). Larger tumour size (more than 3.0 cm) of the primary PA was also a significant (p = 0.035) risk factor for the recurrence of PA. In multivariate analysis, only high expression of MUC1/DF3 was found to be a significant independent risk factor for the recurrence of PA (p = 0.021).


CONCLUSIONS
Expression of MUC1/DF3 in PA is a useful marker to predict its recurrence. Those patients with PA showing positive MUC1/DF3 expression should be followed up carefully.
Department of Maxillofacial Diagnostic and Surgical Science, Field of Oral and Maxillofacial Rehabilitation, Kagoshima University Graduate School of Medicine and Dental Sciences, 8-35-1 Sakuragaoka, Kagoshima 890-8544, Japan.
T
T
Hamada
S
S
Matsukita
M
M
Goto
S
S
Kitajima
S K
SK
Batra
T
T
Irimura
K
K
Sueyoshi
K
K
Sugihara
S
S
Yonezawa
D008949:Adenoma, Pleomorphic / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055271:Mucin 5AC; D018396:Mucin-1 / Q000032:analysis*; D055262:Mucin-2; D055264:Mucin-4; D055272:Mucin-6; D009077:Mucins / Q000032:analysis; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012468:Salivary Gland Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C524625:MUC2 protein, human; C524658:MUC4 protein, human; C524678:MUC5AC protein, human; C524734:MUC6 protein, human; D055271:Mucin 5AC; D018396:Mucin-1; D055262:Mucin-2; D055264:Mucin-4; D055272:Mucin-6; D009077:Mucins