title: Chemosensitivity and DNA ploidy in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas.
abstract: The succinate dehydrogenase activity and cellular DNA content of human head and neck squamous cell carcinomas were examined, and the chemosensitivity and ploidy status were compared with histologic differentiation. The average decrease of enzyme activity in the poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinomas was significantly greater than that of well- and moderately differentiated squamous cell carcinomas. Statistically significant differences were also noted with relation to the original site of the primary tumor. The chemosensitivity of a tumor with DNA aneuploidy tended to be lower among the well- and moderately differentiated squamous cell carcinomas and higher among the poorly differentiated type. We conclude from this study that simultaneous analysis of the chemosensitivity and DNA ploidy will aid not only in selecting effective antitumor drugs but also in predicting changes in cellular characteristics during the course of disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Head and Neck Surgery, National Kyushu Cancer Center, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakashima
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kusumoto
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Maehara
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Okamura
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Katsuta
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis*; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011003:Ploidies; D013385:Succinate Dehydrogenase / Q000187:drug effects*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D013385:Succinate Dehydrogenase