issue samples from nine patients with adenoid cystic carcinoma, three with coepidermoid carcinoms, three with acininc cell carcinoma and four with pleomorphic enoma of salivary gland origin were stained by immunohistochemical staining with cific
antibodies to the laminin and type IV collagen that are present in normal sement membranes. In the adenoid cystic carcinoms, the laminin and type IV sagen were present in a continuous, linear staining pattern of pseudocystic spaces d around the
tumor
cell nests. The tumor cells of adenoid cystic carcinoma showed a dency to proliferate with individual cells in contact with the basement membrane d to infiltrate through basement-rich tissues, such as peripheral nerves and skeletal tscles. In
contrast,
only circumferental staining of tumor cell nests were obtained tcoepidermoid carcinoma, acinic cell carcinoma and pleomorphic adenoms. In adenoid stic carcinomas, laminin and type IV collagen positivity was much more intense than other tumors.
The results suggest that adenoid cystic carcinoma is a tumor with affinity for sement membranes, and this basic feature is reflect in its histology and presumably its biologic behavior. Immunostaining with antibodies to basement membrane proteins
pears
to be sueful for differential diagnosis of other types of salivary gland tumors.
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