Majallah-i Dānishgāh-i ̒Ulūm-i Pizishkī-i Bābul (Jul 2013)
Comparison and Evaluation of Mast Cell Density in Pleomorphic Adenoma, Mucoepidermoid Carcinoma and Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma of Salivary Gland with Toluidine Blue Staining
Abstract
ABSTRACTBACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Salivary gland tumors have low prevalence, and they are 3-6% of all tumors of the head and neck. Role and function of mast cells in tumoral lesions have conflicting results. Their role in salivary gland tumors is unknown and there are few studies about this. Thus the aim of this study was to evaluation and comparison of mast cells density in benign and malignant salivary glands tumors and their relation with grade in the malignancies.METHODS: In this descriptive analytic study, 33 paraffin blocks of pleomorphic adenoma (PA) and 30 paraffin blocks of malignant salivary glands tumors [14 cases mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC), 16 cases adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC)] were obtained from archived files of Amir Alam hospital in Tehran. Then, two sections were carried out on each block and then stained with hematoxyllin-eosin to confirm diagnosis and determination of the grade of MEC, and toluidine blue staining for recognizing mast cells. Mast cells density in benign tumors, low grade and high grade malignancies were statistically analyzed. FINDINGS: Mast cell density in PA was 3.12±3.03 and in low grade malignancies (MEC grade I) was 13.25±6.22 and in high grade malignancies (MEC grade III, ACC) was 1.47±2.74. There was no significant difference in mast cell density in benign and malignant salivary gland neoplasms (p=0.107). Mast cell density in low grade malignancies was significantly higher than benign tumors (p=0.001) and high grade malignancies (p=0.007). Also in MEC grade I was higher than MEC grade III (p=0.027).CONCLUSION: Mast cell density has relation with process of tumorigenesis and malignancy grade. Mast cell density increase in first steps of malignancy and decrease with progression of malignant salivary gland tumor.
