Morphological spectrum of salivary gland tumors withspecial reference to mucin stains

Salivary gland neoplasm are rare and constitute about 3% of all head and neck neoplasms. Mucins are altered in pathological states and are stained by special stains like Periodic Acid Schiff, Alcian Blue and Mucicarmine. To study the histomorphology of resected salivary gland tumors and mucin staining pattern wherever indicated. Surgically resected specimens received at our tertiary care hospital and subjected to histopathological examination. Specimens were fixed in 10% formalin, processed and embedded in paraffin blocks, serially cut to get sections of 3-5 microns thickness. Stained with hematoxylin and eosin for all. Mucin stains were used wherever applicable. Total number of cases studied were 70. Out of which 46 were benign (65.7%) and 24 were malignant (34.3%). Among benign tumours, Pleomorphic adenoma was the commonest tumour (48.57), followed by Warthin tumor (7.14%), Basal cell adenoma (4.28%), Myoepithelioma (1.43%), Oncocytoma (1.43%), Hemangioma (1.43%), Sailolipoma (1.43%). The Mucoepidermoid carcinoma was the most common malignant tumor (17.14%) followed by Adenoid cystic carcinoma (5.71%), Acinic cell carcinoma (4.28%), Polymorphous adenocarcinoma (1.43%), Epithelial myoepithelial carcinoma, Squamous cell carcinoma (1.43%), Salioblastoma (1.43%), Lymphoma (1.43%). Parotid was most common site for both benign and malignant tumor. Females are affected more commonly than males. Mucin staining pattern was noted. Salivary gland tumors have complex range of morphological spectrum. Histopathological examination is the golden standard for diagnosis and mucin stain would add as an adjunct to the diagnosis.

Proliferation PET/CT Imaging of Salivary Gland Tumor

Salivary gland tumors are rare neoplasms which vary in terms of origin and malignant potential. 2-[18F]-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose (FDG)-positron emission tomography (PET) has limited ability to differentiate between different types of salivary gland tumors because both Warthin’s tumors and pleomorphic adenomas usually show increased FDG uptake, with no statistically significant difference in standardized uptake value (SUV) compared with malignant salivary gland tumors. Here, we discuss 4′-[methyl-11C]-thiothymidine (4DST) PET, which provides cell proliferation imaging capable of demonstrating intense uptake in parotid carcinoma and Warthin’s tumor, but no uptake in parotid pleomorphic adenoma. This is the first report of the potential of proliferation PET/ computed tomography (CT) imaging for characterizing salivary gland tumors based on the molecular pathogenesis of the tumor.

Evaluation of the Serum Level of High Mobility Group Box 1 Protein in Benign and Malignant Salivary Gland Tumors

Despite a low prevalence, salivary gland tumors (SGTs) represent a diverse set of tumors with a broad range of biological behaviors. Implementation of early detection programs has significantly improved the outcome of treatment and patients' survival. High mobility group box one protein (HMGB1) may likely be a candidate for the detection of SGTs due to its background in other human tumors. This study, for the first time, aimed to investigate the clinical value of HMGB1 in patients with benign and malignant SGTs and analyze its correlation with clinicopathologic outcomes. Using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), the serum level of HMGB1 was measured in 85 patients with SGTs (30 benign and 55 malignant cases) and 85 age- and sex-matched healthy individuals. HMGB1 levels had a significant difference between patients with SGTs and healthy controls (2041.4±787.1 pg/ml versus 536.3±374.6 pg/ml, P<0.0001) as well as those with benign and malignant tumors (1680.1±429.7 pg/ml versus 2238.6±867.2 pg/ml, P<0.0001). The serum level of HMGB1 was associated with some clinicopathologic factors, such as the size of the main tumor, clinical stage, and the lymph node metastasis, but not with patients' gender, age as well as the site of the lesions. These results suggest that the serum level of HMGB1 has the potential to be a supportive diagnostic marker for SGTs and can provide a precise assessment of the tumor status. There is no published report regarding the serum level of HMGB1 in SGTs; therefore, further studies are warranted.