Oxygen insensitivity of the histochemical assay of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity for the discrimination between nonmalignant and malignant cells.
We review here the oxygen insensitivity of the histochemical assay of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) activity to detect cancer cells. This inexpensive and rapid assay can be performed within half an hour. Discrimination between cancerous and noncancerous cells is based on a combination of elevated G6PDH activity, decreased superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and decreased lipid peroxidation in cancer cells. The test discriminates between adenomas and carcinomas of the colon with a certainty of >80% and has a high prognostic value for survival of colon cancer patients. Pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer are discriminated with a certainty of 100%. Therefore, the test can be applied by pathologists to provide additional information in difficult cases of diagnosis of cancer and for prognosis.
Van Driel
B E
BE
Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Laboratory of Cell Biology and Histology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Van Noorden
C J
CJ
D000818:Animals; D003106:Colon / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005954:Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D006651:Histocytochemistry / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D006965:Hyperplasia; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000201:enzymology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000201:enzymology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests
D005954:Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase; D010100:Oxygen