RESUMO
Using a silver staining technique, nucleolar organizer region--associated proteins (AgNORS) were studied in formalin, fixed paraffin embedded tissue blocks of normal oral buccal mucosa epithelium, leukoplakia with dysplasias and leukoplakia without dysplasias. Fifty cases, that comprised of 10 cases of normal oral buccal mucosa epithelium and 40 cases, of leukoplakia without dysplasia and with mild, moderate and severe leukoplakia were examined with respect to the relationship between AgNOR counts and histologic grading. The mean AgNOR count per nucleus increased from normal oral buccal mucosa epithelium to leukoplakia without dysplasia to leukoplakia with dysplasia. Higher counts, wider scatter and smaller size of AgNOR in the nuclei were seen as the grading of dysplasia increased from mild to severe. It is suggested that this method has potential in distinguishing between dysplastic and non dysplastic leukoplakias and for early diagnosis, prognosis and treatment planning of dysplastic lesions.