Recently, there have been significant developments in our understanding of salivary gland pathology, and new entities, such as mammary analogue secretory carcinoma, have been described. Attempts are being made to identify effective therapeutic agents for salivary duct carcinomas by using molecular diagnostic techniques. Concepts such as high-grade transformation have been described, which not only influence macroscopic and microscopic evaluation of a specimen but, given the high incidence of metastases and morbidity, also carry significant treatment implications. Specific chromosomal translocations, which can be detected by fluorescent in situ hybridization, can augment diagnostic accuracy and carry prognostic implications.
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