Nucleolar Organizer Regions in Intraductal Lesions Associated with Invasive Ductal Carcinoma of the Breast

Abstract

To estimate cell kinetics of intraductal carcinoma present outside the invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast, an argyrophil stain for proteins associated with nucleolar organizer regions (Ag-NOR) was applied on paraffin sections of 28 breast cancers with an extensive intraductal component. The patients chosen for study were comparable to those eligible for breast-conserving surgery in our institute. The mean numbers of Ag-NOR in the nucleus were: normal duct 1.2 ± 0.2 (mean + SD), normal lobule 3.1 ± 1.2, main tumor 10.7 +4.1 and intraductal lesion 7.7 ± 2.6. A significant difference of Ag-NOR numbers was observed not only between the normal epithelium and main tumor (p < 0.01) but also between the main tumor and intraductal lesion (p < 0.01). As for inter-site variation in individual cases, the Ag-NOR number of the intraductal lesion was lower than that of the main tumor in 25 out of 28 cases (89%). These results demonstrate that an intraductal lesion is less aggressive than the main tumor.

Immunohistochemical survey of pS2 expression in intraductal lesions associated with invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast

“…Because the emphasis of this study was to elucidate hormone dependency of small (incidental) intraductal foci outside the main tumor, we selected cases that contained earlier phases of intraductal carcinoma than the others. Our findings support our previous hypothesis that most intraductal lesions may pursue an indolent course (Koyama et al, 1993). Our study failed to demonstrate difference in the pS2 positivity according to menopausal status either in invasive or in intraductal lesions.…”

“…This discrepancy may be attributable to the finding that the cells within the intraductal lesion have characteristics differing from those of the invasive lesion (Kobayashi et al, 1992). We have also demonstrated, that the intraductal lesion is generally less aggressive than the main tumor using Ag-NOR counts in each lesion, (Koyama et al, 1993). In the present study we evaluated the hormone dependency of each type of lesion.…”

Are argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions good prognostic indicators of survival of patients with esophageal cancer with lymph node metastasis?

“…Previous studies have suggested that the numbers of AgNORs per nucleus might be a predictor of malignant potential or a marker of carcinoma in breast cancer [7], gastric cancer [8], and colon cancer [9]. In esophageal cancer, many reports have indicated that the number of AgNORs is a good indicator of malignant potential.…”