Expression and mutation patterns of p53 in benign and malignant salivary gland tumors

The expression and mutation patterns of p53 were studied in a series of 68 benign pleomorphic adenomas and 237 malignant salivary gland tumors, p53 ov erexpression (nuclear staining exceeding 10%) was detected in 20% of the ma lignant salivary gland tumors, with the highest prevalence observed in poly morphous low grade adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and carcinoma e x pleomorphic adenoma and the lowest in adenoid cystic carcinoma and acinic cell carcinoma. In contrast, none of the 68 benign pleomorphic adenomas ha d nuclear staining exceeding 10%. SSCP and nucleotide sequence analysis of exons 4 to 9 of p53 in 19 malignant tumors revealed 9 mutations in 7 tumors . Our findings indicate that p53 may be a useful marker to help discriminat e between benign and malignant salivary gland tumors.