Fatty acid composition of clinically healthy and malignant oral epithelium

The fatty acid composition of epithelium from clinically healthy oral mucosa and or oral squamous cell carcinoma was analyzed by gas/liquid chromatography following extraction using a modified Folch technique and conversion of fatty acids to methyl esters. There were significant reductions in the relative proportions of palmitoleic and oleic acids and elevation of the relative proportions of palmitic, steric and arachidonic acids in samples from squamous cell carcinoma. These differences could reflect changes in cell membranes and/or fatty acid metabolism. Further studies are required to assess their functional, diagnostic and prognostic significance.