NUCLEOLAR ORGANIZER REGIONS AND SURVIVAL IN PATIENTS WITH NON-HODGKINS-LYMPHOMAS CLASSIFIED BY THE WORKING FORMULATION

Aims-To correlate the numbers of silver staining nuclear organiser reg ions (AgNORs) in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma classified by the working form ulation with survival, the first complete remission, and the length of remission. Methods-Sixty one patients were included in the study. Par affin wax sections were stained using silver solution to visualise nuc leolar organiser regions. The AgNORs were counted in 150 nuclei of eac h specimen. Data were examined using the Kruskal-Wallis test, multivar iate discriminant analysis, and Cox's regression test. Curves were cal culated by the method of Kaplan and Meier. Results-Most patients who w ere alive had low grade lymphoma (p < 0.01). The first complete remiss ion was obtained more frequently in the low and intermediate grade gro ups (p < 0-05). The longest survival was found in the low grade group (p < 0.001). The mean number of AgNORs differed significantly in all t hree groups (p < 0-001). This was also true for area of nuclei (p < 0. 001) and length of remission (p < 0.05). In a multivariate analysis th e numbers of AgNORs were highly predictive for survival, remission, an d the length of remission. Conclusions-The numbers of AgNORs correlate d with survival, remission, and the length of remission in patients wi th non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.