ORAL SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA

CLINICO-PATHOLOGICAL PARAMETERS AND AGNOR STATUS IN GRADING

Abstract

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate clinico-pathological
parameters and the status of argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions stain in various histological
grades of oral squamous cell carcinoma. Materials and Methods: A cross sectional study
was conducted on fifty cases of oral squamous cell carcinoma. The specimen were collected
from the department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery and processed for hematoxylin and eosin
stain and AgNOR stain Pathology Laboratory, King Edward Medical University Lahore. Results:
Bidi smoking is associated with oral squamous cell carcinoma. The AgNOR (mAgNOR and
pAgNOR) status was significantly low in well differentiated and moderately differentiated
compared to poorly differentiated oral squamous cell carcinoma (p =0.001). AgNOR size in
poorly differentiated was significantly higher than the AgNOR size in well differentiated oral
squamous cell carcinoma. Similarly the distribution of AgNOR in moderately and poorly
differentiated oral squamous cell carcinoma was significantly high. The AgNORs index was
significantly high in poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma as compared to well
differentiated and moderately differentiated squamous cell carcinoma. Conclusions: The use
of AgNORs stain is easy, valid and reliable method to assess the histological grading of oral
squamous cell carcinoma and should be used to predict the prognosis of patients.