Aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase inducibility in laryngeal carcinoma

The chief carcinogens of tobacco smoke--the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons--must be activated in the cells to exert their carcinogenic effect. This activation is carried out by the enzyme system aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH). Mitogen-stimulated, human lymphocyte studies of AHH activity indicate wide individual variation, which is under strict genetic control. The venous blood samples from 90 patients with a laryngeal carcinoma were assayed, and a significant overrepresentation of patients with genetically high AHH inducibility was demonstrated. Our results suggest the possibility of identifying those tobacco users at higher genetic risk for developing carcinoma of the larynx.