Benign, malignant salivary gland tumors: comparison of immunohistochemical expression of e-cadherin.

The aim of the present study was to assess any variation in the immunohistochemical expression of E-cadherin in benign and malignant salivary gland tumors. A total of 60 cases of benign and malignant salivary gland tumors were evaluated immunohistochemically for E-cadherin expression. These included 10 cases of pleomorphic adenoma (PA), 2 cases of canalicular adenoma (CA), 2 cases of myoepithelioma (MY), 24 cases of adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC), 12 cases of mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC), 9 cases of adenocarcinoma (AC) and 1 case of carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma (Ca Ex PA). 48 cases (80%) showed positive expression, in which benign tumors exhibited relatively increased reactivity (85.7%) as compared to the malignant tumors (78.3%). 10 PA, 2 MY, 20 ACC, 9 MEC, 6 AC and 1 Ca Ex PA expressed E-cadherin. Negative expression was evident in CA, ACC, MEC and AC. Statistically significant reduction in reactivity was evident in mucoepidermoid carcinoma and adenocarcinoma, when compared to pleomorphic adenoma.