Argyrophilic proteins of nucleolar organizer regions and proliferative activity of cells in squamous cell carcinoma of the lung.

Argyrophilic proteins associated with nucleolar organizer regions (Ag-NOR proteins) and Ki-67 antigen were analyzed in 118 samples of squamous cell carcinoma of the lungs. Tumors with low and high content of Ag-NOR proteins and Ki-67 index were selected. It was found that the content of Ag-NOR proteins correlated with some clinical and morphological parameters (indexes T and N, tumor size less and more that 3 cm, stage of the disease, and tumor differentiation degree) and survival rate. High survival was associated with low content of Ag-NOR proteins and Ki-67 index and low survival correlated with high content of Ag-NOR proteins and Ki-67 index, while intermediate survival was associated with opposite values of Ag-NOR protein content and Ki-67 index. The tumor size, parameter N, and the content of Ag-NOR proteins had independent effects on patient's survival. In patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the lung without metastases in lymph nodes, survival correlated with the content of Ag-NOR proteins; in patients without metastases, survival correlated with tumor size.