Survey of Mast Cells Density in the Most Prevalent Benign and Malignant Salivary Gland Tumors in Southeast of Iran, 2005-2015

Salivary gland tumors are an important part of oral pathology. The role of these cells in tumorigenesis has been reported but enough investigations have not been conducted about the role of mast cells in salivary gland tumors. This research aimed to study mast cells density in the most prevalent salivary gland tumors.
In this cross-sectional study, 70 cases of most common benign and malignant salivary gland tumors and 10 cases of normal salivary gland were enrolled from Kerman and Shiraz hospitals from 2005 to 2015. Sections were stained and data was analyzed using one-way ANOVA, followed by Tukey's multiple comparison test, chi-square, independent, and paired t-test.
The average mast cells count increased significantly in salivary gland tumors compared to normal salivary glands both in intra and peri-tumoral stroma (p=0.001). There was a significant difference between benign and malignant tumors in peri-tumoral stroma (p=0.002) but not in intra tumoral stroma. In comparison between mucoepidermoid carcinoma and adenoid cystic carcinoma, there was a significant difference in peri-tumoral stroma (p=0.015) and not in intra-tumoral stroma. Mast cells density was significantly higher in grade I of mucoepidermoid carcinoma compared to the grades II and III (p=0.001).
Mast cells density seems to have relation with tumorgenesis process and grade of malignancy.