AgNOR analysis of atypical ductal hyperplasia and intraductal carcinoma of the breast.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the diagnostic and prognostic value of argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions (AgNORs) in atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH), ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and microinvasive ductal carcinoma (MDCA) of the breast.


METHODS
Image analysis of histologic sections from biopsies of 46 breast ADH and DCIS and 18 cases of MDCA. Determination of morphometric features of cell nuclei and nucleolar organizer regions by using AMBA software system. Data were compared with the estrogen receptor/progesterone receptor (ER/PR) content as well as with the growth fraction, determined immunohistochemically.


RESULTS
AgNOR number and total AgNOR area increased from ADH to DCIS. The highest values were recorded in cases of DCIS with microinvasion. Differences between ADH and intraductal or microinvasive ductal carcinoma were statistically significant. Within the group of intraductal carcinomas, the lowest values were measured in the solid type and highest values in the comedo type. A correlation was found between AgNOR features and growth fraction but not between these features and ER/PR status.


CONCLUSIONS
Selected AgNOR features are relevant for differentiation between ADH and DCIS as well as between low and high grade DCIS and microinvasive ductal carcinoma. Therefore, objective and reproducible data obtained by AgNOR analysis may allow better evaluation of the prognostic significance of these lesions.
Guski
H
H
Department of Pathology, Charité Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Humboldt University of Berlin, Germany. hans.guski@charite.de
Hufnagl
P
P
Kaufmann
O
O
Krause
M
M
Winzer
K J
KJ
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D001706:Biopsy; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D002278:Carcinoma in Situ / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005348:Fibrocystic Breast Disease / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009697:Nucleolus Organizer Region / Q000473:pathology*; D011379:Prognosis; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism; D016622:Silver Staining
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; C010140:estrophilin