Androgen Receptor Expression in Primary Nonsquamous Cell Rare-Variant Carcinomas of the Head and Neck
Objective Androgen receptor (AR) is a diagnostic immunohistochemical marker for salivary gland duct carcinoma (SDC), but other nonsquamous cell head and neck carcinomas (NSCCs) may also express it. The aim of this preliminary study was to investigate the immunohistochemical expression of AR in rare...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2017-06-01
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| Series: | OTO Open |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1177/2473974X17715633 |
| _version_ | 1797669182197727232 |
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| author | Siavash Rahimi MD, FRCPath Katherine L. Bradley MRCP, FRCR Iolia Akaev Carla Marani MD Chit Cheng Yeoh MBBS, MRCP, PhD Peter A. Brennan MD, FRCS, FRCSI |
| author_facet | Siavash Rahimi MD, FRCPath Katherine L. Bradley MRCP, FRCR Iolia Akaev Carla Marani MD Chit Cheng Yeoh MBBS, MRCP, PhD Peter A. Brennan MD, FRCS, FRCSI |
| author_sort | Siavash Rahimi MD, FRCPath |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objective Androgen receptor (AR) is a diagnostic immunohistochemical marker for salivary gland duct carcinoma (SDC), but other nonsquamous cell head and neck carcinomas (NSCCs) may also express it. The aim of this preliminary study was to investigate the immunohistochemical expression of AR in rare head and neck NSCCs. Study Design Retrospective analysis of histologic records. Setting A large community hospital. Subjects and Methods Twenty-seven patients with NSCC were selected (21 men, 6 women; average age, 69 years). Exclusion criteria were histologically confirmed primary and metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinomas and thyroid carcinomas. AR immunohistochemistry was done on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue blocks. Results Variable AR expression was found in 5 of 27 (25%) cases of NSCC. All 7 patients with SDC showed intense and extensive positive immunoreactivity. Of 27 NSCC tumors, 15 (56%) had negative staining. Conclusion In the head and neck, expression of AR is not limited to SDCs; other NSCCs also express it. When surgery or radiotherapy is not appropriate for recurrent or metastatic head and neck NSCC, palliative chemotherapy offers poor results. Antiandrogen therapy is well tolerated and is much less toxic than chemotherapy. Since androgen deprivation therapy has been used against SDCs, this therapy may theoretically be used in a small subset of head and neck NSCCs. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T20:40:25Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-85b0eaed4a3f4eb7ae10975b6e24b48a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2473-974X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T20:40:25Z |
| publishDate | 2017-06-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | OTO Open |
| spelling | doaj.art-85b0eaed4a3f4eb7ae10975b6e24b48a2023-10-02T02:52:52ZengWileyOTO Open2473-974X2017-06-01110.1177/2473974X17715633Androgen Receptor Expression in Primary Nonsquamous Cell Rare-Variant Carcinomas of the Head and NeckSiavash Rahimi MD, FRCPath0Katherine L. Bradley MRCP, FRCR1Iolia Akaev2Carla Marani MD3Chit Cheng Yeoh MBBS, MRCP, PhD4Peter A. Brennan MD, FRCS, FRCSI5School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, UKDepartment of Oncology, Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth, UKSchool of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth, UKDivision of Histopathology, San Carlo Hospital, Rome, ItalyDepartment of Oncology, Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth, UKDepartment of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth, UKObjective Androgen receptor (AR) is a diagnostic immunohistochemical marker for salivary gland duct carcinoma (SDC), but other nonsquamous cell head and neck carcinomas (NSCCs) may also express it. The aim of this preliminary study was to investigate the immunohistochemical expression of AR in rare head and neck NSCCs. Study Design Retrospective analysis of histologic records. Setting A large community hospital. Subjects and Methods Twenty-seven patients with NSCC were selected (21 men, 6 women; average age, 69 years). Exclusion criteria were histologically confirmed primary and metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinomas and thyroid carcinomas. AR immunohistochemistry was done on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue blocks. Results Variable AR expression was found in 5 of 27 (25%) cases of NSCC. All 7 patients with SDC showed intense and extensive positive immunoreactivity. Of 27 NSCC tumors, 15 (56%) had negative staining. Conclusion In the head and neck, expression of AR is not limited to SDCs; other NSCCs also express it. When surgery or radiotherapy is not appropriate for recurrent or metastatic head and neck NSCC, palliative chemotherapy offers poor results. Antiandrogen therapy is well tolerated and is much less toxic than chemotherapy. Since androgen deprivation therapy has been used against SDCs, this therapy may theoretically be used in a small subset of head and neck NSCCs.https://doi.org/10.1177/2473974X17715633 |
| spellingShingle | Siavash Rahimi MD, FRCPath Katherine L. Bradley MRCP, FRCR Iolia Akaev Carla Marani MD Chit Cheng Yeoh MBBS, MRCP, PhD Peter A. Brennan MD, FRCS, FRCSI Androgen Receptor Expression in Primary Nonsquamous Cell Rare-Variant Carcinomas of the Head and Neck OTO Open |
| title | Androgen Receptor Expression in Primary Nonsquamous Cell Rare-Variant Carcinomas of the Head and Neck |
| title_full | Androgen Receptor Expression in Primary Nonsquamous Cell Rare-Variant Carcinomas of the Head and Neck |
| title_fullStr | Androgen Receptor Expression in Primary Nonsquamous Cell Rare-Variant Carcinomas of the Head and Neck |
| title_full_unstemmed | Androgen Receptor Expression in Primary Nonsquamous Cell Rare-Variant Carcinomas of the Head and Neck |
| title_short | Androgen Receptor Expression in Primary Nonsquamous Cell Rare-Variant Carcinomas of the Head and Neck |
| title_sort | androgen receptor expression in primary nonsquamous cell rare variant carcinomas of the head and neck |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1177/2473974X17715633 |
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