[Diagnostic possibilities of quantitative histochemical studies of epidermoid cancer of the lung].

The paper discusses the results of microspectrophotometric assay of DNA and free glycogen levels in the cells of 32 epidermoid tumors of the lung showing different degree of cell differentiation. Increased degree of tumor anaplasia was matched by a rise in DNA accumulation index and polyploidy in nuclei offset by a decrease in the glycogen level in tumor cell cytoplasm. It is suggested that DNA and free glycogen assays may contribute to the diagnostic assessment of cell differentiation involved in lung cancer.