Evaluation of cell proliferation rate in non-dysplastic leukoplakias

Analyze whether the most frequent cases of non-dysplastic leukoplakias, hyperkeratosis (H), acanthosis (A), and hyperkeratosis with acanthosis (HA) have similar cell proliferation rates and to compare them with epithelial dysplastic (ED) leukoplakias and normal oral epithelium (NOE). The sample comprised 10 cases of normal oral epithelium, 10 cases of hyperkeratosis, 10 cases of acanthosis, 10 cases of hyperkeratosis with acanthosis and 10 cases of epithelial dysplasia. The mean number of AgNORs per nucleus (mAgNOR) and the mean percentage of cells with 1, 2, 3 and 4 or more AgNORs per nucleus (pAgNOR) were recorded. The results of mAgNOR showed differences between disorders in the evaluation of the basal layer, of the parabasal layer, and in the overall evaluation. mAgNOR and pAgNOR=2 increased progressively from normal oral epithelium to hyperkeratosis with acanthosis, hyperkeratosis, acanthosis and epithelial dysplasia (p