Cytoenzymologic investigations on carcinomas of the cervix uteri

A study was carried out on 85 patients with lesions of the cervix uteri: 45 carcinomas and 40 dysplasias. A large battery of cytoenzymatic tests was used to determine their potential value in the diagnosis of carcinomas. An increase of LDH, G6PDH, 6PGDH and NADH2-TR activities and a loss of alpha-GP-ase I activity were demonstrated in malignant cells. It is suggested that the cytoenzymologic techniques may offer help in the distinction between normal, dyskaryotic and malignant cells of vaginal fluid. In individual patients these techniques are useful in understanding the evolution of dysplastic lesions and in the diagnosis of carcinoma. These techniques, however, cannot be used as a general screening test for malignancy.