Diagnostic significance of nuclear DNA content and nuclear area in oral hyperplasia, dysplasia, and carcinoma.

The nuclear DNA content and the nuclear area in hyperplasia, dysplasia, and carcinoma of the oral cavity were quantitatively analyzed by microspectrophotometry. In carcinoma, marked variability of the nuclear DNA content and the nuclear area was found. The mean nuclear DNA content, the variance of the nuclear DNA content, the frequency of cells above tetraploid (4 C), the mean nuclear area, and the variance of nuclear area in hyperplasia and dysplasia were significantly different from these values with carcinoma. In some cases of leukoplakia and verrucous hyperplasia with subsequent malignant formation, the values were beyond the lower limit of carcinoma. The results suggest that the nuclear DNA and the nuclear area are important objective indices for predicting malignant potential of precancerous lesions.