Expression of adhesion molecule CD44V6 in salivary gland tumors

Salivary gland tumors are a morphologically and clinically diverse group of neoplasms which may present significant diagnostic and management challenges. Cell adhesion molecules [CAMs] are glyco-proteins that are present on the external surface of the cell membrane. CD44 is a cell adhesion molecule belonging to systemic IgCAMs family, and is remarkable for its ability to generate alternatively spliced forms, many of which differ in their activities. This remarkable flexibility has led to speculation that CD44, via its changing nature, plays a role in some of the methods that tumor cells use to progress successfully through growth and metastasis. To investigate the expression of CD44v6 in different types of salivary glands tumors and to correlate the results with some established prognostic factors. Sixty cases were studied. 21 were pleomorphic adenomas,, 9 Warthin's tumors, 6 monomorphic adenomas, 9 mucoepidermoid carcinomas, five adenoid cystic carcinomas, in addition to 10 normal controls. Clinical data were obtained from the referring clinical departments. The biopsy specimens were obtained by excision, true cut needle biopsy, or punch biopsy. Cases were selected by reviewing the hematoxylin and eosin [H and E] stained slides. Immunohistochemistry was done using the CD44v6 mouse monoclonal antibody raised against human species. CD44v6 was +ve in 46/60 [76, 7%] of salivary gland tumors studied; 35/40 [87.5%] benign salivary glands tumors and 11/20 [55%] malignant salivary gland tumors and this difference was statistically significant [P < 0.01]. CD44v6 was +ve in 16/21 [76%] of pleomorphic adenoma, in 9/9 [100%] of Warthin's tumors and in 6/6 of monomorphic adenoma. CD44v6 was +ve in 5/ 9 of mucoepidermoid carcinoma; 4/5 [80%] of low and intermediate grade mucoepidermoid carcinoma and in 1/4 [25%] of high grade malignant mucoepidermoid carcinoma. The 4 studied high grade malignant mucoepidermoid carcinoma were lymph node metastasis +ve. CD44V6 was +ve in 4/5 [80%] of adenoid cystic carcinoma. There was a statistically significant decrease in CD44v6 positivity [P < 0.03] in high grade malignant salivary gland tumors compared to low and intermediate grade tumors. There was also a statistically significant decrease in CD44v6 positivity [P < 0.01] in malignant salivary gland tumors received with lymph node metastasis compared with those lymph node metastasis negative cases. 1] Down regulation of CD44v6 plays an important role in malignant transformation of salivary gland tumors. 2] The degree of down-regulation is correlated, with progression towards higher grades and also with lymph node metastasis

Prognostic value of matrix metalloproteinase-2 expression in gastric carcinomas

Matrix metalloproteinases [MMPs] might be involved in invasion and metastasis of tumors by degrading extracellular matrix and basement membrane. Controversial data exist concerning the progrnostic value of MMP-2 in gastric carcinomas, so this study was done to evaluate prognostic value of MMP-2 expression in gastric carcinomas and comparing its expression with known prognostic parameters [cancer cell differentiation, depth of invasion and different histological subtype] and to determine its value in detecting metastatic potential [by evaluation of its expression in correlation with vascular permeation and lymph node metastasis]. This retrospectiver study included 25 cases of gastric carcinomas, all cases were formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues, Immunostaining for MMP-2 was done using Avidin-biotin peroxidase method. MMP-2 espression in tumor tissues was studied with semiquantitative evaluation [Score 0.3]. 20/25 cases [80%] of gastric carcinoma showed immunoreactivity and 5/25 cases [20%] were negative. 10/12 cases [83.3%] of the well-differentiated tumor, 5/7 cases [71.4%] of the moderately differentiated and 5/6 [83.3%] of the poorly differentiated tumor showed immunoreactivity [P = 00.568]. As regarding the depth of invasion, 2/4 cases [50%] of T[b] 5/7 cases [71.4%] of T[2], 7.8 cases [87.5%] of T[3] and 6/6 cases [100%] of T[4] showed MM-2 expression [P = 0.0001]. According to WHO classification 1/2 cases [50%] of papillary carcinoma, 7/8 cases [87/5%] of tubular carcinoma, 7/9 cases [77.7%] of signet ring carcinoma and 5/6 cases [83.3%] of the undifferentiated carcinoma showed immunoreactivity [P = 0.727]. According to vascular permeation 11/15 cases [73.3% without vascular invasion and 9/10 cases [90%] with vascular invasion showed positive staining and 77.7% of them were of [score-3] [P = 0.0001]. According to lymph node metastasis 11/16 cases [68.7%] without lymph node metastasis and 9/9 cases [100%] with lymph node metastasis showed MMP-2 expression and [88.8%] of them were of [score-3] [p = 0.0001]. mmp-2 expression in gastric carcinomas has prognostic value as it correlated significantly with the depth of invasion, vascular permeation and lymph node metastasis. high density of staining [score 3] can help in selecting cases with high metastatic potential

Prognostic value of epidermal growth factor receptor in human breast cancer

Epidermal growth factor receptor [EGFR] expression has been proposed as potential prognostic parameter in breast carcinoma. In this study EGFR was evaluated by immunohistochemistry in a series of 54 cases of infiltrating duct carcinoma, 11 cases of in situ ductal carcinoma and 20 cases of adjacent non-malignant breast tissues. Out of 54 case of infiltrating duct carcinoma, 23 cases were received with lymph node metastasis. EGFR was expressed in all cases of non-malignant breast tissues. The infiltrating duct carcinoma and in situ ductal carcinoma showed a nearly similar expression 21/54 [38.9 percent] and 4/1 1 [36.4 percent] respectively. The stromal cells were negative for staining in non-malignant breast tissues and found in stroma of infiltrating duct carcinoma [33.3 percent], however [72.7 percent] of the myoepithelial cells showed EGFR expression. The expression of EGFR in invasive breast carcinoma showed a significant value between grade III [77.8 percent], grade II [41.7 percent] and grade I [8.3 percent] [P<0.01 percent], also between cases with lymph node metastasis [82.6 percent] and those without lymph node metastasis [6.5 percent] [P< 0.001]. However no significant value could be detected for stromal cells EGFR expression. High intensity of staining was found to be associated with lymph node metastasis, stromal cell staining and high grade [grade III]. So EGFR expression is considered as good prognostic parameter in breast carcinoma and the high intensity of staining in association with stromal cells staining can help in predicting cases with high metastatic potential