In the present study, conventional and synchronous luminescence (SL) were utilized to investigate spectral differences in normal and neoplastic cells. The synchronous fluorescence (SF) method involves scanning simultaneously both emission and excitation wavelengths while keeping a constant wavelength interval between them. This SF procedure simplifies the emission spectrum and provides for greater selectivity and is used to detect subtle differences in the fluorescence emission of the biochemical species of cells from rat tissues. A difference between the fluorescent spectra of the normal rat liver epithelial (RLE) and hepatoma cell lines were detected using synchronous fluorescence. The potential use of SF as a screening tool for cancer diagnosis is discussed.