The relationship between tyrosine kinase C and cranial perineural invasion in salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma

Objective To observe the expression of tyrosine kinase C(TrkC) in salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) and to evaluate the relationship between TrkC and cranial perineural invasion in ACC. Methods TrkC was examined in 32 salivary ACC , 7 normal parotid glands and 3 acinic cell carcinoma tissue samples by immunohistochemistry analysis.Results TrkC presented positive in 90.6%(29/32) of ACC, and TrkC expression in group with perineural invasion was significantly higher than that without perineural invasion ( P 0.05). Ductule cells of normal parotid glands presented positive while acinic cell carcinoma presented negative.Conclusion Enhanced expression of TrkC may contribute to cranial perineural invasion in salivary ACC, and TrkC may be considered as a biological marker for cranial perineural invasion in ACC.