SOX10 Expression in Primary Salivary Gland Tumors: A Meta-Analysis.
Otto Tahvanainen, Henri Lagerstam, David Kalfert et al.
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In 30 seconds
This PRISMA-guided systematic review and meta-analysis assessed SOX10 immunohistochemical expression across primary salivary gland tumors. It included 35 studies comprising 1146 histological and 35 cytological samples. Pooled positivity was high in several tumor types, including adenoid cystic carcinoma (96.6%, 95% CI 94.1-99.2%) and pleomorphic adenoma (95.8%, 95% CI 91.7-99.9%), while pooled positivity was low in Warthin's tumor (2.3%, 95% CI 0-7.0%) and salivary duct carcinoma (3.7%, 95% CI - 0.6-8.1%). The authors emphasize subtype-specific reporting and documentation of antibody clone.
Key findings
- SOX10 positivity was 96.6% in adenoid cystic carcinoma (95% CI 94.1-99.2%) and 95.8% in pleomorphic adenoma (95% CI 91.7-99.9%).
- Pooled SOX10 positivity was low in Warthin's tumor at 2.3% (95% CI 0-7.0%) and salivary duct carcinoma at 3.7% (95% CI - 0.6-8.1%).
- Polyclonal antibodies and clones EP268, N-20, and A-2 gave similar results; clone BC34 stained a lower percentage of SOX10-positive tumors.
Why it matters
SOX10 expression varies across salivary gland tumor subtypes, so interpreting a positive or negative stain in isolation may be misleading. The pooled estimates provide a reference for how often expression was reported in specific entities, while the observed differences by antibody clone underscore the importance of documenting the reagent used when interpreting or comparing immunohistochemical findings.
What to keep in mind
The evidence for some tumor entities was limited. Pooled estimates for several entities have confidence intervals extending beyond 100%, indicating uncertainty in those estimates.