SILVER-BINDING NUCLEOLAR ORGANIZING REGIONS - A STUDY OF ORAL LEUKOPLAKIA AND SQUAMOUS-CELL CARCINOMA

Silver-binding nucleolar organizing regions (AgNORs) in normal oral bu ccal mucosa epithelium. oral leukoplakia, and oral squamous cell carci noma (SCC) were studied. The mean AgNOR count per nucleus increased fr om healthy mucosa to leukoplakia to SCC. Tissues showing dysplasia in leukoplakia and SCC cases showed higher counts, wider scatter, and sma ller size of AgNOR dots in the nuclei. The study seems to suggest that this method has some potential in distinguishing between dysplastic a nd nondysplastic leukoplakia, Studies of larger numbers are needed to arrive at more substantial conclusions.