AgNOR/P53 expression compared with different grades in bladder carcinoma.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to assess the relation between silver-strained nucleolar organizer regions (AgNOR)/P53 expression and urothelial neoplasm of the bladder which graded according to the WHO/ISUP tumor grading system. METHODS: Transurethral resection materials (TUR) and cystectomy specimens from 52 patients with bladder urothelial carcinomas were stained by AgNORs and analyzed immunohistochemically using an avidinbiotin peroxidase method for p53 staining and also silver for AgNORs. RESULTS: Nuclear p53 accumulation was determined in two of 5 LMP cases (%40), in 10 of 22 LGC (%45.4), and in 8 of 25 HGC (%32). Positivity of p53 accumulation was observed in 20 (%57.7) of all cases. There was no statistically significant relationship between AgNOR score of p53(+) and p53(-) cases. There was no correlation between LGC and LMP, also between LGC and HGC (p > 0.05), but a meaningful relationship was found between LMP and HGC (p = 0.03). Association between P53 and grade, AgNOR value and grade, p53 and AgNOR was found statistically insignificant. CONCLUSIONS: Although we found a statistically significant correlation between AgNOR count of LMP and HGC, this study did not show a satisfying correlation between AgNOR, p53 and any grade of urothelial carcinoma.