Resumo

ANGELICA, Zanata et al. Assessment of cell proliferative activity of oral leukoplakia through the AgNOR method. RFO UPF [online]. 2015, vol.20, n.1, pp. 17-22. ISSN 1413-4012.

Leukoplakia is considered a major carcinogenic oral lesion. Objective: To conduct an epidemiological study of oral leukoplakia cases registered at the Histopathology Diagnostic Service of the Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Passo Fundo (SDH/ICB-UPF), between 1989 and 2012, applying to such cases the AgNOR method for the assessment of their cell proliferative activity. Materials and method: The work consisted of a transversal epidemiological and histochemical study of 44 cases of leukoplakia. After diagnostic validation, and tabulation of clinical and histopathological data of leukoplakia cases, new histological sections (3 μm) of lesions were impregnated by silver by the AgNOR method. The slides obtained were photographed in immersion, and 100 cells' NORs were counted for each case. This procedure was performed with the help of the Image Tool™ software. Results were compared considering the different clinical and histopathological features of leukoplakia cases. Results: The most prevalent age group was from 61 to 76 years (19 cases - 43.2%), 22 patients were men (50%), and the predominant ethnic group was Caucasian (36 cases - 81.8%). Regarding harmful habits, smoking was reported in 23 cases (52.3%). When comparing the average number of NORs from cases of leukoplakia with different clinical features of the lesions, there was no statistically significant relation. Conclusion: It is concluded that leukoplakia primarily affects Caucasian men over 60 years old, who are smokers. Moreover, the sample studied showed that the relation of cell proliferative activity of oral leukoplakia with clinical/histopathological features of lesions was not statistically significant.

Palavras-chave : Oral leukoplakia.; AgNOR.; Proliferative activity..