Basal cell nuclear size in experimental oral mucosal carcinogenesis.

It has been suggested that the size of the nuclei of epithelial basal cells can be used in predicting the likelihood of malignant transformation of epithelium. This proposition was assessed in rat palatal epithelium after the carcinogen 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide had been applied to the epithelium for varying periods of time. No consistent alterations in basal cell nuclear size, including area, perimeter, diameter and regularity of form were found with routine light microscopy as the epithelium passed through various stages of dysplasia to carcinoma. This finding casts doubt on the value of using a variation of basal cell nuclear size as a predictor of malignant transformation.