Large cell dysplasia of hepatocytes, is it a premalignant condition?

Incidence and character of large cell dysplasia (LCD) of liver were examined by histological, statistical and morphometric methods in an aged Middle European population. The necropsy material of 487 patients with micronodular cirrhosis and cirrhosis with primary liver tumour was studied. In addition, 50 primary tumours developed in non-cirrhotic livers, 34 metastatic tumours and 90 normal livers were examined. According to the findings, LCD often developed in aged patients. The high occurrence is presumably due to the high age. The frequency of LCD was significantly higher in active than in inactive cirrhosis. LCD could mostly be found around metastatic tumours, especially those with large, destructive foci. Sex differences occurred in a part of cases but an age dependence could not be demonstrated. Normal and dysplastic cells did not differ significantly in most morphometric parameters but there was a significant difference between tumorous and normal or dysplastic parameters. The data suggested that LCD is a secondary, reactive phenomenon occurring in various pathological processes.