The distribution of the nucleolar organiser regions in the dysplastic epithelial lesions and in the epidermoid carcinomas of the vocal cords

Silver-binding nuclear organizer regions (AgNORs) were counted in samples of normal, dysplastic and squamous cell carcinoma of the vocal cord. A significant difference in the mean number of AgNORs was found when squamous cell carcinoma samples were compared with dysplastic lesions (p less then 0.0001). Also the difference in the mean AgNOR count was significant when the lesion was compared with normal epithelium.