Dysplastic nodules and small primary carcinoma of the liver: a study detecting the early morphological changes during hepatocarcinogenesis.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Detect the early histological changes relating to human hepatocarcinogenesis in three nodular hepatocellular lesions. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Three cases of dysplastic nodules and one of small hepatocellular carcinoma were obtained from the authors' surgical-pathology file during 2000-2005 for a histopathological study in relevance to the early changes during hepatocarcinogenesis by employing hematoxylin and eosin stain, as well as some immunohistochemical staining. RESULTS: One nodular hepatocellular lesion, diagnosed as a complex lesion of focal nodular hyperplasia contained a microscopic focus (1.5 mm in diameter) of combined hepatocellular and cholangiocarcinoma. CONCLUSION: The small dysplastic hepatocytes subjected to neoplastic transformation combined hepatocellular and cholangiocarcinoma and are the precursorial cells of hepatocellular carcinoma. Chronic viral hepatitis B or C, aflatoxin B, and nitrosamine(s), as well as some nodular hepatocellular lesions share distinct roles in the complex process of hepatocarcinogenesis pertaining to this Southeast Asian country.