ISSN:
1600-0714
Source:
Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
Background: The neural cell adhesion molecule (N-CAM) has been implicated in the behaviour of the adenoid cystic carcinoma. In vitro, it was demonstrated that N-CAM inhibits cell invasion. The aim of this study was to search for N-CAM in the most common salivary gland tumour that has a malignant counterpart.Methods: We investigated the presence of N-CAM in pleomorphic adenoma and its malignant counterpart, the carcinoma ex-pleomorphic adenoma, using the immunohistochemistry technique.Results: Neural cell adhesion molecule was expressed in all cases of pleomorphic adenoma, strongly labelling the luminal cells of the double-layered ductform structures. This expression was weaker in neoplastic myoepithelial cells and progressively diminished at a distance from the luminal cells. In carcinoma, ex-pleomorphic adenoma N-CAM was either totally absent or faintly present at the apical pole of the few luminal cells.Conclusions: As a result of the peculiar distribution of N-CAM in pleomorphic adenoma, we speculated that N-CAM behaves as a tumour-suppressor molecule, which is expressed in the benign neoplasm and which is down-regulated after malignancy, when the tumour assumes an invasive behaviour.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1034/j.1600-0714.2003.00076.x
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