Evaluation of the nucleolar organizer region associated proteins in minor salivary gland tumors

Forty-three intraoral salivary gland tumors were studied to determine the value of the AgNOR technique in the assessment of these neoplasms. Well defined black dots were visible in the nucleii of all the specimens studied. The mean AgNOR count per nucleus for each tumor was calculated as follows: pleomorphic adenoma (n = 15) 1.52; Polymorphous low-grade adenocarcinoma (n = 12) 1.90; adenoid cystic carcinoma (n = 6) 2.92; mucoepidermoid carcinoma (n = 4) 1.93; carcinoma ex mixed tumor (n = 4) 2.05; undifferentiated carcinoma (n = 1) 3.13 and epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma (n = 1) 2.23. The difference between the means of benign and malignant tumors (P less than 0.01) and polymorphous low-grade adenocarcinoma and adenoid cystic carcinoma (P less than 0.01) were highly significant. The overlapping of the AgNOR count between various tumors prohibited the use of this technique as an absolute criterion in establishing a final diagnosis. It could however be used as a diagnostic aid in differentiating between salivary gland neoplasms.