ABSTRACT
Purpose To study the clinicopathologic features and immunophenotype of the basal cell adenoma ( BCA) with a focal crib-riform pattern in salivary gland. Methods Four cases of BCA with a focal cribriform pattern were retrospectively analyzed with their clinical findings, histopathology and immunohistochemical staining for CK, CK14, CK8/18, CK19, EMA, CD10, CD117, BCL-2, CDX-2, SMA, S-100, p63, p53, EGFR and Ki-67. Results Four cases of BCA with a focal cribriform structure all appeared as slow-growing neoplasms with good circumscription and lack of infiltrative properties, with capsular invasion but without capsular break-through. There are have at least a 50% area of cribriform structure in tumors under microscope. Immunohistochemical profiles exhibi-ted weak positivity for CK, EMA, CD10, CD117, BCL-2, CDX-2, p53 and EGFR, moderate for CK14, CK8/18, SMA and S-100, and strong for CK19, p63 and Ki-67 index<1%. Conclusions Cribriform type of salivary bacal cell adenoma is relatively rare and has difficulty in distinction from adenoid cystic carcinoma ( ACC) . Clinicopathologic features and immunophenotype are the most relia-ble points for differential diagnosis of BCA from ACC.