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MECT1-MAML2 Fusion Transcript Defines a Favorable Subset of Mucoepidermoid Carcinoma

Authors' Affiliations: Departments of ¹ Pathology, ² Otolaryngology, and ³ Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya City University; ⁴ Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery II, Aichi-Gakuin University Scholl of Dentistry; ⁵ Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Aichi Cancer Center Central Hospital; ⁶ Department of Pathology and Clinical Laboratories, Nagoya University Hospital, Nagoya, Japan; and ⁷ Department of Oral Pathology and Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan

Requests for reprints: Hiroshi Inagaki, Department of Pathology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya City University, Kawasumi, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya 467-8601, Japan. Phone: 81-52-853-8161; Fax: 81-52-851-4166; E-mail: hinagaki{at}med.nagoya-cu.ac.jp.

Purpose: Mucoepidermoid carcinoma is the most common primary malignancy of the salivary gland. Mucoepidermoid carcinoma translocated gene 1-mastermind-like gene family (MECT1-MAML2) gene fusion was identified from a recurring t(11;19)(q21;p13) translocation, which is often the sole cytogenetic alteration in this disease. This fusion transcript has been frequently detected in mucoepidermoid carcinoma and shown to be involved in the transformation of epithelial cells. However, its clinicopathologic significance remains unclear.

Experimental Design: Seventy-one cases of mucoepidermoid carcinoma and 51 cases of nonmucoepidermoid carcinoma salivary gland tumors (including 26 Warthin tumor cases) were retrospectively analyzed. RNA was extracted from archival materials: histologic paraffin specimens in all cases and cytologic specimens in 10 mucoepidermoid carcinoma cases. The MECT1-MAML2 fusion transcript was detected by a reverse transcription-PCR assay, which can be applied to both histologic and cytologic specimens. The presence of the fusion transcript was correlated with relevant clinicopathologic and survival data of the mucoepidermoid carcinoma patients.

Results: The MECT1-MAML2 fusion transcript was detected in 27 of the 71 (38%) mucoepidermoid carcinoma cases but not in any case of nonmucoepidermoid carcinoma tumors. The reverse transcription-PCR results showed no difference between histologic and cytologic specimens. Detection of the MECT1-MAML2 fusion transcript was associated with a less advanced clinical stage and a low-grade tumor histology. The presence of the transcript was associated with longer disease-free and overall survivals on univariate analysis and emerged as an independent prognostic factor for longer overall survival on multivariate analysis.

Conclusions: The MECT1-MAML2 fusion transcript may be specific to mucoepidermoid carcinoma and associated with a distinct mucoepidermoid carcinoma subset that exhibits favorable clinicopathologic features and an indolent clinical course.

Commentary

Emerging Biology of Malignant Salivary Gland Tumors Offers New Insights into the Classification and Treatment of Mucoepidermoid Cancer

Frederic J. Kaye
Clin. Cancer Res. 2006 12: 3878-3881. [Full Text] [PDF]

This article has been cited by other articles:

				F. J. Kaye Emerging Biology of Malignant Salivary Gland Tumors Offers New Insights into the Classification and Treatment of Mucoepidermoid Cancer. Clin. Cancer Res., July 1, 2006; 12(13): 3878 - 3881. [Full Text] [PDF]