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Some Biochemical Essentials of Malignancy^*

( McArdle Memorial Laboratory, The Medical School, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin)

Biologically speaking, one of the simplest and most comprehensive definitions of a neoplasm is that it is a relatively autonomous growth of tissue. Such a definition has certain implications, which are discussed here. When one attempts to define the biochemical characteristics of all neoplasms, exceptions arise. However, if one specific neoplastic cell type is carefully studied—e.g., the hepatocellular carcinoma-liver system—certain biochemical characteristics unique to the tumor become apparent. Notable among these is the defective control of enzyme synthesis which is manifest in all systems studied to date. The correlation of the biologic essentials with the apparent biochemical essentials of the malignant hepatic cell is presented as a model system with which to study other neoplastic vs. normal cell types.

^* This work was supported by grants (C-656 and CA-06729-01) from the National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, U.S.P.H.S.