Proliferative activity of salivary tumor cells

Salivary carcinomas comprise 2-3 % of malignant tumors of the head and neck. The basic method of morphological study in early diagnostics is aspiration puncture with a fine needle (FNAB). Complex histologic structure and great diversity of morphological items complicate cytologic diagnostics of salivary tumors considerably. Immunocytochemical examination must be used to reduce the errors, it enables to reveal neoplastic cells at early stages of malignization. High proliferative activity of tumor cells is one of their biological peculiarities. Accuracy in differential diagnostics between benign and malignant tumors is improved through determination of mitotic index combined with a fine needle aspiration puncture