Value of AgNOR, in Malignant Lesions of Cervix

Objectives: To evaluate the correlation of AgNOR count and malignant lesions of cervix.

Methods: The material for the study was collected from patient with various lesions of cervix. After colposcopy, a cervical biopsy was done. Routine paraffin sectioning was done for these biopsy specimens. Histopathologic diagnosis was first established on these sections using the routine (H&E) stain. Then, further sections were cut from prepared blocks and were subjected to AgNOR staining technique. AgNOR count was taken as the mean number of black dots per 100 cells observed under a 100× oil immersion objective.

Results: In this series biopsy specimens were obtained and subjected to routine method of haematxoylin and eosin staining which revealed 25% to be benign and 26.6% to be cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and 48.4% cases to be carcinoma.

Conclusion: The results of the AgNOR when used can provide strength to the clinician and histopathologist in diagnosing early carcinoma in cases of suspicious cervix.