Expression of c-erbB-2 protein detected in adenocarcinoma arising from parotid pleomorphic adenoma.

The c-erbB-2 proto-oncogene is known to encode a 185,000 molecular weight glycoprotein. This protein has been detected immunohistochemically in several human adenocarcinomas, suggesting that it may play a role in the development of these malignancies. In the otolaryngological field none of the adenocarcinomas expressing c-erbB-2 protein has yet been described. In this article we presented a case of parotid adenocarcinoma expressing the c-erbB-2 protein. In this case the adenocarcinoma was thought to have originated from pleomorphic adenoma. Immunohistochemically, the adenocarcinoma cells were stained and the remaining pleomorphic adenoma cells were not stained by polyclonal antibody against the c-erbB-2 protein. The expression of c-erbB-2 protein may have been related to the malignant development of the pleomorphic adenoma.