Engulfment and cell motility 3 protein (ELMO3) is a protein that is involved in cell migration and promotes the remodeling of the cytoskeleton. Moreover, it is described as a prognostic marker in several cancers. The aim of this study was to evaluate ELMO3 expression in patients with minor salivary gland carcinoma. The expression of ELMO3 was examined by immunohistochemistry. The intensity of staining was evaluated and data was correlated to clinical outcome. Forty-six patients with complete clinical data were included into statistical analysis. ELMO3 expression was observed in 85% of the cases. High staining intensity of ELMO3 correlated with a significantly worse disease free survival (p = .0495) and a higher recurrence rate (p = .0071). In conclusion, it is still difficult to predict the clinical outcome of patients with minor salivary gland carcinoma. Evaluation of ELMO3 might serve as a clinical prognostic marker in future.
Keywords: ELMO3; Immunohistochemistry; Minor salivary gland cancer; Molecular prognostic marker.