title: Focal acinar cell dysplasia in human pancreas.
abstract: A series of 108 prospectively collected human pancreata were evaluated histologically for the presence of acinar cell and ductal lesions. Foci of dysplastic acinar cells were present in 44% of the series. Some of the focal acinar cell abnormalities were similar to atypical acinar cell nodules which have been described in carcinogen-treated experimental animals. The incidence of nodules was higher among patients with a history of heavy cigarette smoking than among nonsmokers, and among patients with a history of alcohol abuse than among abstainers. The presence of dysplastic acinar cell nodules in a pancreas seemed unrelated to the presence of cancer in other sites, or diabetes. Ductal epithelial abnormalities were more frequent than focal acinar cell dysplasia.
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000209:etiology; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D002285:Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010179:Pancreas / Q000473:pathology*; D010183:Pancreatic Ducts / Q000473:pathology; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000473:pathology*; D012907:Smoking / Q000150:complications