Immunohistochemical evaluation of estrogen and progesterone receptors in adenoid cystic carcinoma of salivary gland origin

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is a malignant turner of salivary gland orig in, which is characterized by a high rate of local recurrence and distant m etastasis even after aggressive surgical treatment. In several studies usin g various immunohistochemical techniques, estrogen and progesterone recepto r (ER and PgR) proteins in salivary gland ACC have been identified and the possible use of endocrine therapy as a treatment modality suggested. On thi s basis, 27 samples of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded salivary gland ACC were immunohistochemically evaluated for the presence of ER and PgR. ER was not detected in any of the tumors and PgR was identified in only two cases . Thus, application of hormone therapy to salivary gland ACC is not support ed by the results of the present study. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.