Liver cell dysplasia: a premalignant condition

Abstract

Liver cell dysplasia is defined as cellular enlargement, nuclear pleomorphism, and multinucleation of liver cells occurring in groups or occupying whole cirrhotic nodules. The prevalence, natural history, and relationship to the Australia or hepatitis-associated antigen (HAA) have been studied in 552 Ugandan African patients with normal, cirrhotic, and cancerous livers. Liver cell dysplasia was found in only two of 200 (1%) patients with normal livers, in three of 43 (6.9%) of patients with normal livers bearing primary liver cell carcinoma, 35 of 175 (20.3%) patients with cirrhosis, and 80 of 124 (64.5%) of patients with cirrhosis and primary liver cell carcinoma. Cirrhotic patients without dysplasia were, on average, ten years younger than those with dysplasia and the latter were on average six years younger than those with cirrhosis and carcinoma. Liver cell dysplasia occurred more frequently in males than in females. It was found in all but one instance in macronodular or mixed forms of cirrhosis only. There was a strong relationship between dysplasia and the presence of HAA in 104 patients that suggests a possible carcinogenic mechanism for the longincubation (serum or B) hepatitis virus in liver cell carcinoma. It is concluded that the presence of liver cell dysplasia identifies a group of patients with a high risk of liver cell carcinoma and that they should be followed up by serial alpha-fetoprotein estimations.

The ether lipid tumour marker in human liver with hepatocellular carcinoma

“…The differences between the first value and either of the other two were significant at the 0 0005 level (X2 test). These results were similar to the findings of Anthony et al (1973) also shown in Fig. 1 .…”

“…Liver-cell dysplasia has been characterized as a premalignant change associated with liver-cell cancer (Anthony et al, 1973). This view has been supported by the finding of localized ci-foetoprotein production in dysplastic liver cells from patients with chronic liver disease (Okita et al, 1977).…”

“…The stage and activity of cirrhosis were noted. Data on liver-cell dysplasia were obtained using the criteria outlined by Anthony et al (1973). HCC specimens showed either no clear cells, or a focal or diffuse pattern of clear cells (Lai et al (in press).…”

Hepatitis-B surface antigen in tumour tissue and non-tumorous liver in black patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

“…Liver-cell dysplasia was present in most patients, both with and without cirrhosis in the non-tumorous liver tissue, lending support to the belief that this is a precancerous lesion (Anthony et al, 1973). There was, however, no obvious correlation between the presence of dysplastic cells and the presence or absence of cirrhosis or of HBsAg in either the tissues or the serum.…”

“…In each case the presence or absence of cirrhosis, liver cell dysplasia and groundglass hepatocytes was determined on sections stained with haematoxylin and eosin. Dysplastic cells were identified according to the criteria of Anthony et al (1973). The grading system (0-4+) was based on the estimated overall percentage of dysplastic cells in the non-tumorous liver tissue: 0: absent; +: 25%; 2+: 25-50%; 3+: 50-75%; 4+:…”