Estrogen and progesterone receptors in benign mixed
tumors of the salivary glands
An immunohistochemical study
Grekou Á.Í., Platanias Ch., Pazarli Ĺ., Keramidas G., Toliou
Th.
Department of Pathology, “Theagenio” Cancer Hospital of Thessaloniki,
Greece
Background-Aim: Experimental and human studies have shown
a possible relation between sex steroid hormones and salivary
gland tumors. In this paper we describe the immunohistochemical
distribution of estrogen (ER) and progesterone receptors (PR)
in human benign mixed tumors of the salivary glands.
Materials and methods: Twenty-five cases of benign mixed
tumors of the salivary glands, 17 in women and 8 in men, aged
16-66 years old (mean 42.5 years) were studied. Immunohistochemical
stains with monoclonal antibodies against estrogen and progesterone
receptors were performed on formalin fixed-paraffin embedded sections.
In 19 cases the surrounding normal salivary gland was also evaluated.
Results: Positive staining for ER was observed in 17
tumors, 13 in women and 4 in men, whereas positive staining for
PR was observed in 6 cases, all in women. The staining was located
in the cytoplasm of epithelial and myoepithelial cells. Normal
salivary tissue showed positive staining for ER in 11 cases (9
in women and 2 in men) and for PR in 4 cases (3 in women and 1
in man). Cytoplasmic staining in intorlobular striated and focally
in intercaled ductal epithelium was observed.
Conclusions: Our findings indicate that ER and PR are
detected by immunohistochemistry in the cytoplasm of benign
mixed tumors of the salivary glands. The absence of nuclear staining
questions salivary tumors as a possible target of steroid hormones.
However, metabolism or in situ synthesis of ER and PR protein
in salivary gland tissue may be possible.
Key words: Salivary glands, mixed tumors, estrogen receptors,
progesterone receptors
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