ESTROGEN AND PROGESTERONE RECEPTORS IN SALIVARY-GLAND ADENOID CYSTIC CARCINOMA

Adenoid cystic carcinomas of salivary glands occur more frequently in women and bear remarkable similarity to adenoid cystic carcinomas of t he breast. In addition, breast carcinomas express estrogen and progest erone receptors that impart prognostic significance. This suggests a p ossible role for sex steroid hormones in the development and progressi on of salivary gland adenoid cystic carcinoma. On this basis, 12 sampl es of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded salivary gland adenoid cystic carcinomas and 12 samples of normal salivary gland tissue were immunoh istochemically evaluated for estrogen and progesterone receptor protei n expression. Estrogen receptors were not detected in either group; ho wever, a significantly higher progesterone receptor level was evident in the neoplastic group compared with normal tissue (p < 0.01). These data confirm the presence of progesterone receptors within normal and neoplastic salivary gland tissue. Progesterone receptor expression may be of possible prognostic and therapeutic value in some cases of aden oid cystic carcinoma.