This article covers Dysplasia, a pre-cancerous change in cellular structures.
Normal squamous cells |
Normal squamous cellsDysplasia (latin for 'bad form') is an abnormality in the appearance of cells due to disturbances in the cell maturation process. This is indicative of an early step towards transformation into a neoplasia. It is therefore a pre-neoplastic or pre-cancerous change.
This abnormal growth is restricted to the epithelial layer, not invading into the deeper tissue. Though dysplasia may regress spontaneously, persistent lesions must be removed, either with surgery, chemical burning, heat burning, burning with laser, or freezing (cryotherapy). |
The best known form of dysplasia is the precursor lesions to cervical cancer, called cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). This lesion is sometimes caused by an infection with the human papilloma virus (HPV). Dysplasia of the cervix is almost always unsuspected by the woman. It is usually discovered by a screening test, the pap smear. The purpose of this test is to diagnose the disease early, while it is still in the dysplasia phase and easy to cure.
Dysplasia vs carcinoma in situ vs invasive carcinoma
These terms are related since they represent the three steps of the progression towards cancer:
Dysplastic cells |
Dysplasia is the earliest form of pre-cancerous lesion recognizable in a biopsy by a pathologist. Dysplasia can be low grade or high grade (see CIS below). The risk of low grade dysplasia transforming into high grade dysplasia and, eventually, cancer is low. Treatment is usually easy. |
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