How Useful is the AgNOR Staining Method for the Diagnosis of Salivary Gland Tumors?

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the numbers and mean areas of the AgNOR dots in the 3 most common salivary gland tumors. Materials and Methods: One hundred and seventy paraffin blocks histologically diagnosed as pleomorphic adenoma, adenoid cystic carcinoma, and mucoepidermoid carcinoma were selected from the archives of the pathology department of Loghman hospital, Tehran, Iran and then cut and stained using the standard AgNOR method. The number and area of AgNOR dots were evaluated. Chi-square and Pearson correlation (2-tailed) tests were used for statistical analysis. The significance level was P < 0.05. Results: The chi-square test showed significant differences between tumor types and the numbers of AgNORs (P = 0.000) and between tumor types and areas of AgNORs (P = 0.000). Conclusions: The AgNOR technique can be used to diagnose salivary gland tumors.