Significance of the relationship between irregular regeneration and two hepatocarcinogenic pathways: "de novo" and so-called "dysplastic nodule-hepatocellular carcinoma" sequence.
OBJECTIVE
Irregular regeneration of hepatocytes has been reported as an important factor in the hepatocarcinogenesis, so we studied the relationship between irregular regeneration and two hepatocarcinogenic pathways, "de novo" and "dysplastic nodule-hepatocellular carcinoma sequence."


METHODS
Liver tissue was obtained from surgically resected 112 specimens, early well differentiated hepatocellular carcinomas and non-cancerous tissue. Hepatocellular carcinomas were divided into two groups; carcinoma with dysplastic area (type A) and without dysplastic area (type B) and were compared with irregular regeneration of hepatocytes in the non-cancerous tissue.


RESULTS
Eighty-eight of 112 cases were judged to have irregular regeneration, such as anisocytosis, pleomorphism, bulging and map-like distribution. The degree of irregular regeneration was not correlated to the type of early well differentiated hepatocellular carcinomas. However, the existence of pleomorphism, map-like distribution and bulging are significantly correlated with type A.


CONCLUSIONS
Type A might be more frequently occurring in a carcinogenic liver showing some kinds of irregular regeneration.
Taguchi
Kenichi
K
Department of Anatomic Pathology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
Aishima
Shinichi
S
Matsuura
Shuji
S
Terashi
Takahiro
T
Nishiyama
Kenichi
K
Shirabe
Ken
K
Shimada
Mitsuo
M
Maehara
Yoshihiko
Y
Tsuneyoshi
Masazumi
M
D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000473:pathology; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000473:pathology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D008115:Liver Regeneration; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000473:pathology