A qualitative and quantitative electronmicroscopic study of the structure of the adenoid cystic carcinoma of human minor salivary glands.

The fine structural characteristics of five adenoid cystic carcinomas of human minor salivary galnds and a quantitative assessment of the relative volumes occupied by morphologically defined cell types in these tumors are reported. We observed that the cyst-like spaces which give the characteristic cribriform pattern to the adenoid cystic carcinoma contain replicated basement membrane-like materail. Material comprisimg aggregates of fine tubules having a median diameter of 270 A, and rounded, electron dense bodies were noted within duct-like lumena of one tumor. In addition, dilatation of the intercellular spaces and squamous metaplasia were noted. From 500 electronmicrographs obtained by standardized techniques and used for the morphological part of the study, 175 were selected by a random sampling method and analyzed by the stereological technique of point counting. This method demonstrated that duct type cells occupied 75% by volume of the tumor in these glands; myoepithelial cells occupied 3%, acinar cells occupied 2%, and other tissues occupied 22% of the tumors. These proportions differ significantly (P less than 0.001) from our previously published figures for normal specimens of these glands.