AGNOR COUNTS AS A DISCRIMINATOR OF LESIONS OF THE ENDOCERVIX

Recently the argyrophil for staining proteins associated with nucleola r organizing regions (AgNORs) has been applied widely in cytohistopath ology in various malignancies. Nucleolar organizer region-associated p roteins (NORs) are located on the short arm of chromosomes 13, 14, 15, 21 and 22. We applied the technique to 78 cytologic smears from the e ndocervix stained with the Papanicolaou technique. These included 36 n ormal endocervical cases, 17 reactive endocervical cases, 19 dysplasti c endocervical cases and 6 endocervical adenocarcinoma cases. Statisti cally significant differences were found between AgNOR counts from nor mal endocervical smears and smears of endocervical gland dysplasia (P < .001), between normal endocervical smears and smears of endocervical adenocarcinoma (P < .001), between reactive endocervical smears and s mears of endocervical gland dysplasia (P < .001) and between reactive endocervical smears and endocervical adenocarcinoma (P < .005). The Ag NOR technique appears useful as an adjunct in the diagnosis of endocer vical lesions.