Expression and clinical significance of MAGE and NY-ESO-1 cancer-testis antigens in adenoid cystic carcinoma of the head and neck

Background Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) of the head and neck is a rare but highly malignant tumor. Cancer-testis antigens (CTAs) represent an immunogenic family of cancer-specific proteins and thus represent an attractive target for immunotherapy. Methods Eighty-four cases of ACC were identified, the CTAs pan-Melanoma antigen (pan-MAGE; M3H67) and New York esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (NY-ESO-1; E978) were detected immunohistochemically (IHC) and correlated with clinical data. Results Expression of NY-ESO-1 was found in 48 of 84 patients (57.1%) and of pan-MAGE in 28 of 84 patients (31.2%). Median overall survival (OS) in NY-ESO-1 positive versus negative patients was 130.8 and 282.0 months (p =.223), respectively. OS in pan-MAGE positive versus negative patients was 105.3 and 190.5 months, respectively (p =.096). Patients expressing both NY-ESO-1 and pan-MAGE simultaneously had significantly reduced OS with a median of 90.5 months compared with 282.0 months in negative patients (p =.047). Conclusion A significant fraction of patients with ACC show expression of the CTAs NY-ESO-1 and/or pan-MAGE with promising immunotherapeutic implications.