Adenoid cystic carcinoma of salivary gland

Histopathology

There are three characteristic patterns: cribriform, tubular and solid, most tumours being composed of a mix of these³.

Immunohistochemistry

	ductal epithelial cells	basaloid cells (myoepithelial differentiation)
cytokeratins	strong0	weak0
cytokeratin 7	20/202
cytokeratin 8/18	53/532
cytokeratin 13	0/202
cytokeratin 14	33/332
cytokeratin 17	5/52
cytokeratin 19	28/282
CEA	positive0	negative0
EMA	positive0	negative0
vimentin	negative0	positive0
S-100	negative0	positive0
actin	negative0	variable0
Calponin	negative0	positive0
CD117	positive1

Prognosis

Tumours with more than 30% solid pattern may have a worse prognosis³.

References

⁰Diagnostic histopathology of tumors. Edited by CDM Fletcher. 2nd edition. Churchill Livingstone. Page 269.

¹Berman, J., O'Leary, T. J. Gastrointestinal stromal tumor workshop Human Pathol 2001; 32:578-582.

²Chu, P. G. and L. M. Weiss (2002). "Keratin expression in human tissues and neoplasms." Histopathology 40(5): 403-39. (Summary data from multiple papers)

³Perez-Ordonez B. Selected topics in salivary gland tumour pathology. Current Diagnostic Pathology2003;9:355-365.

This page last revised 1.4.2006.