Silver-binding nucleolar organizing regions: a study of oral leukoplakia and squamous cell carcinoma.

Silver-binding nucleolar organizing regions (AgNORs) in normal oral buccal mucosa epithelium, oral leukoplakia, and oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) were studied. The mean AgNOR count per nucleus increased from healthy mucosa to leukoplakia to SCC. Tissues showing dysplasia in leukoplakia and SCC cases showed higher counts, wider scatter, and smaller size of AgNOR dots in the nuclei. The study seems to suggest that this method has some potential in distinguishing between dysplastic and nondysplastic leukoplakia. Studies of larger numbers are needed to arrive at more substantial conclusions.