A quantitative histochemical study of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity in premalignant and malignant lesions of human oral mucosa.

The levels of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity have been assayed by quantitative histochemistry in normal, benign, potentially malignant and carcinomatous lesions of human oral mucosa. Dysplastic epithelium showed a higher activity of this enzyme than did morphologically normal, benign hyperplastic and neoplastic lesions and this may be an aid to early diagnosis. The increases in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity in dysplastic human oral epithelium are sufficient to warrant a longitudinal study to evaluate further the significance of these changes in the process of malignant transformation.