EXPRESSION OF ARGYROPHILIC NUCLEOLAR ORGANIZER REGIONS IN DUCTAL ADENOCARCINOMA OF THE PANCREAS AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO PROGNOSIS

The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship betwe en Ag-NOR count levels and survival in 33 patients undergoing resectio n for ductal adenocarcinoma of the pancreas at Kanazawa University Hos pital from 1985 to 1991. To determine the biologic behavior of invasiv e ductal adenocarcinoma of the pancreas, 33 tumors were classified int o two groups according to the median value of Ag-NOR counts: Group 1, Ag-NOR count greater-than-or-equal-to 3.25 (higher Ag-NOR count group) ; Group 2, Ag-NOR count < 3.25 (lower Ag-NOR count group). As a result , we found that tumors with a higher Ag-NOR count were more likely to have liver or peritoneal metastasis than those with a lower Ag-NOR cou nt, although the differences were not statistically significant. Tumor s with lower Ag-NOR count levels were associated with favorable progno ses 2 and 3 yr after surgery, whereas those with higher Ag-NOR count l evels were related to poor prognosis. Our results indicate that a Ag-N OR count level is a reliable prognostic parameter in resected pancreat ic ductal adenocarcinoma.