Assessing the prognostic significance of MUC4β in mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the salivary glands: An immunohistochemical study

Abstract

Objectives– Routine histopathological grading for salivary gland mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) have failed to prognosticate these tumors, resulting in poor post-surgical outcomes. In developing countries, the lack of technologically advanced infrastructure curtails, efficient treatment modalities. This study aimed at determining if MUC4β can characterize salivary gland MEC and serve as a practical and inexpensive method to prognosticate salivary gland MEC.Materials and methods– Fifteen cases of archived paraffin embedded tissue blocks of mucoepidermoid carcinomas were reassessed for histopathological grading using Healey's system, modified by Batsakis and Luna and immunohistochemically evaluated for expression of MUC4β. Statistical analysis (Kappa statistics and Spearman's rho correlation coefficient) was performed to assess inter-observer reproducibility and to correlate the expression of MUC4β with the histopathological grade of the tumor.ResultsMUC4β expression is related to tumor differentiation in an inverse relationship. Two cases of high grade MEC were the exception to this rule.ConclusionOur study revealed that MUC4β alone cannot serve as a reliable prognostic marker due to its divergent tumor suppressor and oncogenic pathway. The role of MUC4β needs further evaluation and research so as to potentiate therapeutics depending upon its context dependent function, as a cancer marker or an oncogenic factor.

Proliferative Activity of Myoepithelial Cells in of Mucoepidermoid Carcinoma

“…Moreover, mucoepidermoid carcinoma has no stromal secretions characterizing the tumors with myoepithelial differentiation, which are an important evidence of myoepithelial cells involvement and its differential diagnosis [22]. Although our sample size is limited and includes only ten cases of (MEC), this tumor is very rare and our sample size consistent with others [23], [24], [25].…”

The Significance of Expression of MUC 4 and IMP-3 in Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia, High Grade Prostatic Intraepithelial Neoplasia and Prostatic Adenocarcinoma(immunohistochemical study)

“…Another study by Elsayed et al, (23) revealed MUC4 over expression in lung adenocarcinoma associated with aggressive behavior. According to (24) the reason for such inconsistent results in MUC4 correlations with many variables is that MUC4 might be a mediator or indication of tumor growth aggressiveness. MUC4 binds to ErbB2 and phosphorylates it on its tyrosine residues.…”

The Development of Vaccines from Synthetic Tumor‐Associated Mucin Glycopeptides and their Glycosylation‐Dependent Immune Response

“…[135] There are few examples, such as mucoepidermoid carcinomas of the salivary gland, where overexpression correlates with a better prognosis. [136,137] However, in most scenarios, overexpression correlates with poor clinical outcomes, and MUC 4 expression level can be used as a prognostic marker. [11,138] So far, MUC4 was better explored as a therapeutic target for pancreatic cancer (PC).…”