Histochemical analysis of mucin expression using mucicarmine and periodic acid-Schiff stains in pleomorphic adenoma and mucoepidermoid carcinoma: An unexplored niche in salivary gland tumour pathology

MEC stained with mucicarmine and PAS showed strong mucin expression in low-grade cases, moderate expression in intermediate-grade cases and weak mucin expression in high-grade cases, showing a statistically significant difference (<i>P</i> < 0.05). PA cases were similarly stained with mucicarmine and PAS, and it was found to have strong mucin expression in the cellular variant, moderate expression in the mixed variant and weak mucin expression was observed in the myxoid variant, giving us a statistically significant result (<i>P</i> < 0.05). Therefore, it was concluded that mucin expression decreased with increasing grades of MEC, but mucin expression increased proportionally with the cellularity of PA.