An immunohistochemical analysis of anti-amylase antibody reactivity in acinic cell adenocarcinoma

• Published in: Oral surgery, oral medicine, oral pathology, oral radiology and endodontics Vol. 81; no. 6; pp. 691 - 694
• Main Authors: Childers, Esther L.B., Ellis, Gary L., Auclair, Paul L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: St. Louis, MO Mosby, Inc 01-06-1996; Elsevier
• Subjects: Amylases - metabolism; Antibodies, Monoclonal; Biological and medical sciences; Carcinoma, Acinar Cell - diagnosis; Carcinoma, Acinar Cell - enzymology; Dentistry; Humans; Immunoenzyme Techniques; Medical sciences; Otorhinolaryngology. Stomatology; Parotid Neoplasms - diagnosis; Parotid Neoplasms - enzymology; Tumors; Upper respiratory tract, upper alimentary tract, paranasal sinuses, salivary glands: diseases, semeiology; Human; Immunohistochemistry; Amylase; S 100 Protein; Enzyme; Stomatology; Antibody; Bibliographic survey; Salivary gland; Malignant tumor; Pathology; Acinar cell carcinoma; Salivary gland disease; Diagnosis
• ISSN: 1079-2104; 1528-395X
• DOI: 10.1016/S1079-2104(96)80075-8

In many salivary acinic cell adenocarcinomas, well-differentiated serous acinar-type cells may be few and inconspicuous. In these cases it may be difficult to distinguish acinic cell adenocarcinoma from other types of salivary gland neoplasms such as cystadenocarcinoma. The usefulness of antisalivary amylase antibody immunohistochemical staining as a diagnostic aid was assessed on paraffin-embedded tissue sections from 27 typical acinic cell adenocarcinomas. Only 4 of 27 tumors showed reactivity in tumor cells. We conclude that anti-amylase antibody is of limited value in the recognition of acinic cell adenocarcinoma when light morphologic features are insufficient for diagnosis.