COMPARISON OF EPITHELIAL DYSPLASIA - THE 4NQO RAT PALATE MODEL AND HUMAN ORAL-MUCOSA

Epithelial dysplasia in the rat palatal mucosa was induced by applicat ion three times a week of the carcinogen 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide (4NQ O). With the Epithelial Atypia Index (EAI), the successive stages;of 4 NQO-induced epithelial dysplasia were compared with specimens of human oral epithelial dysplasia. It appeared that there was a close similar ity between the histologic features of 4NQO-induced dysplasia in the r at palatal mucosa and human oral epithelial dysplasia. Thus, the 4NQO rat palate model seems to be appropriate to study and assess new treat ment modalities of premalignant epithelial lesions of the oral mucosa in man.