Nucleolar and argyrophilic nucleolar organizer region counts in urothelial carcinomas with special emphasis on grade II tumors

Abstract

Prognostic assessment of bladder carcinomas of intermediate differentiation is difficult. This study therefore investigated the prognostic values of nucleolar status and silver staining of argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions (AgNORs) in grade II bladder carcinomas. In biopsies from 34 grade II transitional cell carcinomas of the urinary bladder the number of nuclei with nucleoli, the location of nucleoli within the nucleus and the number of AgNORs were determined in 1000 or 200 nuclei per section respectively. Ten biopsies showing normal urothelium, 18 cases with mild to severe atypia, 27 grade I, 34 grade II and 12 grade III transitional cell carcinomas were also studied. Significantly differing nucleolar and AgNOR values were found comparing normal urothelium/grade I carcinomas with severe urothelial atypia/grade III carcinomas. Grade II carcinomas, however, were inhomogeneous. One subgroup had nucleolar and AgNOR values resembling grade I carcinomas while the second group had values similar to those of grade III carcinomas. This subdivision of grade II carcinomas correlates with results reported for DNA-cytometry. The results suggest a subdivision of patients with grade II transitional cell carcinomas into a low risk and high risk group.

Modified method of AgNOR staining for tissue and interpretation in histopathology

“…In this study, we also found that pAgNOR is more predictive of aggressive behaviour in astrocytoma grade III and glioblastoma multiform than mAgNOR. These findings are consistent with other reports of Helpap et al. (1994), Khan et al.…”

“…1992, 1995), bladder carcinoma (Pich et al. 1992, 1995; Helpap et al. 1994), and skin melanocytic lesions (Pich et al.…”

“…1992). It was helpful in the classification of urothelial carcinoma in different grades of malignancy and in subdividing patients with grade II transitional cell carcinomas into low‐ and high‐risk groups (Helpap et al. 1994; Pich et al.…”

Molecular pathology of non-invasive urothelial carcinomas (part I)

“…Through the quantitative assessment of nuclear size, nuclear shape, nuclear roundness, nucleolar number, nucleolar size, and nucleolar shape, AgNOR staining, quantification of nuclear DNA content, and assessment of nuclear chromatin texture, predictive information may conceivably be obtained [19] ( Table 2). Through the quantitative assessment of nuclear size, nuclear shape, nuclear roundness, nucleolar number, nucleolar size, and nucleolar shape, AgNOR staining, quantification of nuclear DNA content, and assessment of nuclear chromatin texture, predictive information may conceivably be obtained [19] ( Table 2).…”

Neuerungen in der histologischen WHO-Klassifikation urothelial Harnblasentumoren und abnormer flacher Urothelläsionen

“…Beim Grad 1 (Grad 1b nach Subgrading; [15]) des papillären urothelialen Karzinoms haben neben der Zahl der Zelllagen (Epithelbreite) v. a. Kerngrößen und Kernformenvariabilität zugenommen, und die Kern-Plasma-Relation hat sich zugunsten der Kerne verschoben (Abb. 2).…”