title: Prognostic relevance of epithelial-mesenchymal transition and proliferation in surgically treated primary parotid gland cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cancer of the major salivary glands comprises a morphologically diverse group of rare tumours of largely unknown cause. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) has been shown to play a significant prognostic role in various human cancers. The aim was to assess the expression of EMT markers in different histological subtypes of parotid gland cancer (PGC) and analyse their prognostic value.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined 94 PGC samples (13 histological subtypes) for the expression of MIB-1, epithelial cadherin (E-cadherin), β-catenin, vimentin and cytokeratin 8/18 (CK8/18) by means of immunohistochemistry. The experimental findings were correlated with clinicopathological and survival parameters.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We detected all analysed EMT and proliferation markers in specifically different constellations within the examined histological subtypes of PGC. We found high epithelial marker expressions (CK8/18, E-cadherin, membranous β-catenin) only in a distinct variety of carcinomas. A high proliferation rate (high MIB-1 expression) as well as a combination of high CK8/18 and low vimentin expression was associated with a significantly worse survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings indicate that activation of the EMT pathway is a relevant explanation for tumour progression in individual histological subtypes of malignant parotid gland lesions, but by far not in all. Evidence of EMT activation in PGC cannot be seen as an isolated prognostic factor.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, University Hospital of Münster, Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: Alina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Busch
authors.affiliation: Gerhard-Domagk-Institute for Pathology, University Hospital of Münster, Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: Larissa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bauer
authors.affiliation: Gerhard-Domagk-Institute for Pathology, University Hospital of Münster, Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wardelmann
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, University Hospital of Münster, Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rudack
authors.affiliation: Gerhard-Domagk-Institute for Pathology, University Hospital of Münster, Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: Inga
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Grünewald
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, University Hospital of Münster, Münster, Germany.
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stenner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015703:Antigens, CD; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002648:Child; D058750:Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010306:Parotid Gland / Q000473:pathology; D010307:Parotid Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D011379:Prognosis; D046888:Tissue Array Analysis; D014746:Vimentin / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C513384:CDH1 protein, human; D015820:Cadherins; D014746:Vimentin; D051176:beta Catenin
keywords: CANCER RESEARCH; IMMUNOHISTOCHEMISTRY; MALIGNANT TUMOURS; SALIVARY GLAND TUMOURS