Author:
Scarini João Figueira,de Lima-Souza Reydson Alcides,Lavareze Luccas,Ribeiro de Assis Maria Clara Falcão,Damas Ingrid Iara,Altemani Albina,Egal Erika Said Abu,dos Santos Jean Nunes,Bello Ibrahim Olajide,Mariano Fernanda Viviane
Abstract
Pleomorphic adenoma (PA) is the most common salivary gland tumor, accounting for 50%–60% of these neoplasms. If untreated, 6.2% of PA may undergo malignant transformation to carcinoma ex-pleomorphic adenoma (CXPA). CXPA is a rare and aggressive malignant tumor, whose prevalence represents approximately 3%–6% of all salivary gland tumors. Although the pathogenesis of the PA-CXPA transition remains unclear, CXPA development requires the participation of cellular components and the tumor microenvironment for its progression. The extracellular matrix (ECM) comprises a heterogeneous and versatile network of macromolecules synthesized and secreted by embryonic cells. In the PA-CXPA sequence, ECM is formed by a variety of components including collagen, elastin, fibronectin, laminins, glycosaminoglycans, proteoglycans, and other glycoproteins, mainly secreted by epithelial cells, myoepithelial cells, cancer-associated fibroblasts, immune cells, and endothelial cells. Like in other tumors including breast cancer, ECM changes play an important role in the PA-CXPA sequence. This review summarizes what is currently known about the role of ECM during CXPA development.