Expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 in high-grade salivary gland carcinomas is associated with their metastatic potential.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the role of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 protein in high-grade malignant tumors of salivary gland origin as well as its utility as a prognostic marker.

Methods: Four micrometer sections from 27 malignant salivary neoplasms were immunostained using a specific antibody against MMP-9. The staining results (proportion of the stained tumor cells and intensity of tumor stainings) were correlated with the clinical data and with patient outcomes.

Immunoexpression and prognostic significance of TIMP-1 and -2 in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are proteolytic enzymes that are capable of degrading different substrates within the extracellular matrix, and which are believed to be crucial for tumor invasion and metastasis. Tissue inhibitors of MMPs (TIMPs) can inhibit the action of MMPs but also can show a paradoxical poor prognostic effect. In order to evaluate the prognostic significance of TIMPs, we studied the expression of TIMP-1 and -2 in series of 68 oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC) by immunohistochemistry.

Small cell undifferentiated carcinoma of the submandibular gland with neuroendocrine features.

This article reports the clinical, histopathologic, and immunohistochemical findings in a case of small cell undifferentiated carcinoma of the submandibular gland. The tumor was composed of anaplastic cells slightly larger than lymphocytes without ductal differentiation. On immunohistochemical analysis, the tumor contained cells that reacted positively with antibodies to cytokeratin, neuron-specific enolase, synaptophysin, and chromogranin.

Prognostic significance of p53 expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma without neck node metastases.

Background: Aberrations of the p53 gene and overexpression of its protein are widely recognized markers of malignancy including oral squamous cell carcinomas. This study was performed to evaluate the relationship of immunoexpression of p53 protein in series of 91 squamous cell carcinomas of the oral cavity with clinicopathologic parameters and to investigate whether p53 immunoexpression might influence the clinical outcome of the disease.

Methods: From a group of 287 consecutive patients, 91 surgically treated ones were randomly selected.

Chronic sclerosing sialadenitis of the parotid gland.

Chronic sclerosing sialadenitis (Küttner's tumor) is a benign and chronic inflammatory condition of the submandibular gland that clinically cannot be easily distinguished from salivary malignant neoplasia. This is a report of a case of chronic sclerosing sialadenitis located as a solitary mass in an accessory parotid gland.

Neck schwannomas.

Schwannomas are peripheral nerve tumours of nerve sheath origin. Twenty-five to 45 percent of extracranial schwannomas occur in the head and neck region. We present 2 cases of schwannomas that arise from the vagus and cervical plexus.

Expression of cyclin D1 and Ki-67 in squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity: clinicopathological and prognostic significance.

The prognostic and clinicopathologic significance of cyclin D1 and Ki-67 expressions was studied in oral squamous cell carcinomas. We performed an immunohistochemical study to determine the level of expression of cyclin D1 and Ki-67 labelling index in tumor specimens obtained from 35 patients, of whom 14 died as a result of recurrent disease, and 20 were free of recurrence at the end of the follow-up period. Overexpression of cyclin D1 was significantly associated with regional lymph node metastases (P=0.