THE EFFECT OF LIDOCAINE ON GROWTH OF CELLS OF HEAD AND NECK SQUAMOUS-CELL CARCINOMA

The effect of lidocaine on the growth rate of human squamous cell carc inoma of the head and neck area was investigated in tissue culture. As growth parameters, the mean cell area, the total cell area, the field area and the total number of cells have been measured by digital imag e analysis. The carcinoma's two cell types-round and spindle-were reco rded separately to verify different patterns of alteration. All parame ters did not decrease significantly when lidocaine was given as a sing le dose prior to the culture. A significant decrease (p < 0.05) at day 6, 9 and 12 in culture was found when lidocaine (7 mug ml-1) was adde d to the culture medium.