An apparent relationship between breast cancer and salivary gland cancer has been observed, and there is one report in the literature that describes estrogen receptors in normal salivary gland and salivary gland cancers. With the use of a monoclonal antibody against estrogen receptor protein and the avidin-biotin immunoperoxidase procedure, we were unable to demonstrate estrogen receptors in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded sections of either polymorphous low-grade adenocarcinoma or adenoid cystic carcinoma of salivary gland origin.