Expression of silver-stained nucleolar organizing regions (Ag-NORs) in human cancer

Five cases of ovarian adenocarcinoma, three cases of endometrial adenocarcinoma, and one case of transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder have been studied for expression of silver-stained nucleolar organizing regions (Ag-NORs). The modal chromosome number of these tumors varied from 37 to 72, with a wide range of chromosome numbers (13 to 150). The modal number of Ag-NORs in this sample varied from 3 to 7. Regression analysis among and between tumors demonstrated a proportionate increase in the number of Ag-NORs with increasing number of total chromosomes and increasing number of acrocentric chromosomes (r = 0.64 and 0.75, respectively). Modal assessment of Ag-NORs in both peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) and cultured tumor cells in one patient revealed identical modes in normal and malignant cells. Also, no difference in the expression of Ag-NORs was observed between tumor cells obtained at biopsy and placed for 48 h in agar culture and tumor cells established in finite monolayer culture. Our study provides further evidence for a proportionate increase in Ag-NORs with increasing numbers of acrocentric chromosomes and total chromosomes.