Salivary gland carcinomas: prognostic significance of simple mucin-type carbohydrate antigens.

The prognosis of salivary gland carcinomas is difficult to assess. Simple mucin-type carbohydrates (T and sialosyl-T antigens, Tn and sialosyl-Tn antigens) have been shown to be of value in predicting prognosis for carcinomas in other locations. We studied the prognostic significance of the expression of these structures in a retrospective study of 133 patients with salivary gland carcinomas, using immunohistochemistry and a panel of well-defined monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues. Sialosyl-Tn, T and sialosyl-T antigens were not correlated with prognosis. Univariate analyses showed no overall difference in survival or locoregional control between patients with Tn-positive and patients with Tn-negative tumours, but indicated that expression of the Tn antigen was associated with early locoregional recurrences and deaths. Tn was, however, not an independent prognostic factor by multivariate regression analysis.