Argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions in benign and malignant mesothelial lesions
Friday, December 23rd, 2005.
Georgian Medical News. 2005 Nov;(128):91-3. [Link]
Vacharadze K, Burkadze G, Turashvili G, Kiria N.
National Center of Tuberculosis and Lung diseases, Tbilisi, Georgia.
Abstract
The aim our study was to assess the usefulness of AgNOR stain in distinguishing between benign and malignant mesothelial lesions. The patients were divided into three groups: group I - reactive mesothelium (71 cases), group II - hyperplastic mesothelium (66 cases), group III - epithelial type mesothelioma (52 cases). Smears were stained by Pap and AgNOR methods. After staining, all cases were randomized for blind evaluation. Each case was viewed independently by two observers. AgNORs were identified as black, usually spheric particles observed within the nucleolus. For each cell, the number of AgNOR-positive cells and the number of AgNOR-dots per nucleus were counted. Our results show that AgNOR staining is useful to differentiate epithelial type mesothelioma and benign mesothelial lesions such as reactive and hyperplastic mesothelium. This differentiation is based primarily on the mean number of AgNOR-dots per cell rather than number of AgNOR-positive cells. AgNOR is highly sensitive, specific and cost-effective technology which can be used as an ancillary diagnostic approach for distinguishing between reactive and/or hyperplastic changes of mesothelium as well as in differential diagnosis of epithelial type mesothelioma.
Glossary
- nucleus
- (new-clee-us) the center of a cell where the DNA is housed and replicated. Studying the size and shape of a cell's nucleus under the microscope can help pathologists distinguish cancer cells from benign cells.
- differentiation
- (dif-er-en-she-A-shun) the normal process through which cells mature so they can carry out the jobs they were meant to do. Cancer cells are poorly differentiated.
- diagnosis
- identifying a disease by its signs or symptoms, and by using imaging procedures and laboratory findings. The earlier a diagnosis of cancer is made, the better the chance for long-term survival.
- cell
- the basic unit of which all living things are made. Cells replace themselves by splitting and forming new cells (mitosis). The processes that control the formation of new cells and the death of old cells are disrupted in cancer.
- benign
- (be-nine) not cancer; not malignant.
- mesothelioma
- a tumor derived from mesothelial tissue, such as the peritoneum (lining the abdomen) or pleura (lining the lungs). More on mesothelioma.
