Oxygen Insensitivity of the Histochemical Assay of Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Activity for the Discrimination Between Nonmalignant and Malignant Cells

Abstract

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 super-oxide 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.