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Correlation of two AgNOR counts with Ki‐67 labeling index: A study in fine‐needle aspirates of lymphoproliferative disorders and breast carcinoma
Author(s) -
Mourad Walid A.,
Sneige Nour,
Katz Ruth L.,
Ordóñez Nelson G.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
diagnostic cytopathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.417
H-Index - 65
eISSN - 1097-0339
pISSN - 8755-1039
DOI - 10.1002/dc.2840100204
Subject(s) - nucleolus organizer region , pathology , medicine , breast carcinoma , carcinoma , ki 67 , stain , staining , nucleus , immunohistochemistry , breast cancer , cancer , psychiatry , nucleolus
The Ki‐67 antibody binds to nonresting cells where Ki‐67 labeling index (KLI) reflects proliferative activity (PA). The argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions (AgNOR) counts have been correlated to ploidy and/or PA. Two AgNOR counting methods distinguish ploidy from PA. The first count is the mean AgNOR count (mAgNOR) which correlates with ploidy. The second is the percentage of nuclei with ≥ 5 AgNORs/nucleus (pAgNOR) which reflects PA. To explore this relationship, we separately stained smears of 20 fine‐needle aspirates (FNAs) of lymphoproliferative disorders (n = 12) and breast carcinomas (n = 8) for AgNOR and Ki‐67. We also double‐stained 10 of the smears for both AgNOR and Ki‐67. The correlation of pAgNOR counts and KLI was statistically significant (P < 0.0001) whereas it was not between mAgNOR and KLI (P = 0.13). Additionally, using the double stain, the Ki‐67 negative cells had an AgNOR granule range of 1‐3/ nucleus with a mean of 1.33 (± 1.86 SD). The Ki‐67 positive cells showed an AgNOR granule range of 2‐12/nucleus with a mean of 4.15 (± 1.02 SD) (P < 0.0002). We thus conclude that pAgNOR is a more reliable indicator of PA than mAgNOR and that four AgNORs/nucleus is an acceptable number differentiating proliferating from resting cells. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.