Hepatocellular dysplasia: immunohistochemical and morphometrical evaluation.

Hepatocellular dysplasia, first described by Anthony et al. [J. clin. Path. 26: 217-223, 1973], is considered a peculiar pattern of proliferation process mainly observable in cirrhotic nodules in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Its precancerous meaning has been variously evaluated in the past. In the present study, immunohistochemical data concerning the presence of alpha-fetoprotein, alpha 1-antitrypsin, carcinoembryonic antigen, hepatitis B surface antigen and hepatitis B core antigen did not show meaningful differences between carcinomatous cells and normal and dysplastic hepatocytes. On the contrary, morphometric analysis seems to be useful to discriminate dysplastic cells by means of parametrical indexes of shape and symmetry of the nuclei and could probably offer in the future an objective evaluation of hepatocellular dysplasia.