title: Parotid carcinoma: expression of kit protein and epidermal growth factor receptor.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Our aim is to investigate the expression of kit protein (KIT) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in parotid carcinomas in order to correlate the expression to histology and prognosis. Further we want to perform mutation analysis of KIT-positive adenoid cystic carcinomas.
  
  
  METHODS
  Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded sections from 73 patients with parotid gland carcinomas were used for the study. The sections were stained with both KIT and EGFR polyclonal antibodies. Twelve KIT-positive adenoid cystic carcinomas were examined for c-kit mutation in codon 816.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of all carcinomas 25% were KIT-positive and 79% were EGFR-positive. Ninety-two percentage of the adenoid cystic carcinomas were KIT-positive. None of the adenoid cystic carcinomas had mutations in codon 816 of the c-kit gene.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Neither KIT- nor EGFR-expression seem to harbour significant prognostic information. Adenoid cystic carcinomas express KIT, but no mutations in codon 816 of the c-kit gene were identified.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark. bjoerndal@dadlnet.dk
authors.forename: Kristine Bjørndal
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Sørensen
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Godballe
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: de Stricker
authors.forename: Annelise
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Krogdahl
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003528:Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000401:mortality; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010307:Parotid Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000401:mortality; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit / Q000032:analysis*; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit