Analysis of silver binding nucleolar organizer regions in exfoliative cytology smears of potentially malignant and malignant oral lesions |
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Authors: | GV Sowmya P Nahar M Astekar H Agarwal MP Singh |
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Institution: | 1. Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Institute of Dental Sciences, Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh State;2. Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Pacific Dental College and Hospital, Udaipur, Rajasthan;3. Department of Oral Pathology and Microbiology, Institute of Dental Sciences, Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh;4. Smile Dental Clinic, Janakpuri, West Delhi;5. Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Pacific Dental College and Hospital, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India |
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Abstract: | Nucleolar organizer regions are nucleolar components that contain proteins that are stained selectively by silver methods; they can be identified as black dots throughout the nucleolus and are known as silver binding nucleolar organizer regions (AgNOR). The number of AgNOR is related to the cell cycle and the proliferative activity of the cells. We investigated AgNOR using exfoliative cytology smears of potentially malignant oral lesions. Eighty individuals were divided into four equal groups: healthy controls, oral leukoplakia, oral submucous fibrosis and oral squamous cell carcinoma. The mean number of AgNOR in each study group gradually increased from control to oral leukoplakia to oral submucous fibrosis to oral squamous cell carcinoma. The proliferative index was increased in the oral premalignant and malignant patients compared to normal subjects. The mean AgNOR size gradually increased from control to oral leukoplakia to oral submucous fibrosis to oral squamous cell carcinoma. Spherical shaped AgNOR were most common in controls, whereas large, clustered and kidney shapes were most common in oral squamous cell carcinoma. Multiparameter analysis of AgNOR in oral exfoliative smears is a simple, sensitive and cost-effective method for differentiating premalignant from malignant lesions and can be used in conjunction with routine cytomorphological evaluation. |
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Keywords: | AgNOR exfoliative cytology malignancy nucleolar organizer region oral leukoplakia oral submucous fibrosis proteins silver staining squamous cell carcinoma |
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