Atypical Hyperplasia vs. Dysplasia

[Medbum]

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I can't figure out what the difference could be between atypical hyperplasia and dysplasia. Are the two words simply interchangeable? Thank you!

 

[sirenomelia]

I can't figure out what the difference could be between atypical hyperplasia and dysplasia. Are the two words simply interchangeable? Thank you!

Dysplasia- means literally- disordered growth- is a general, non-organ specific term used to refer to an abnormal development with a loss of uniformity of the individual cells and loss in architectural orientation. Dysplastic cells are generally an expansion of immature cells with increased pleomorphism, n/c ratio and mitoses. Dysplasia is regarded, generally, as a precancerous growth pattern- ie cervical dysplasia; and typically warrants intervention/ removal.


Atypical hyperplasia is not the same- it is a term mostly reserved for describing abnormal breast ductal epithelium which features breast cells which become abnormal in number, size, shape, growth pattern and appearance- mostly on an architectural scale- but the individual cell features are not frankly dysplastic. The location of the abnormal cells within the breast tissue — the lobules or the milk ducts — determines whether the cells are atypical lobular hyperplasia (ALH) or atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH). In practice the distinction between ADH/ALH and dysplasia (DCIS/LCIS) is very vague, subjective and professionally challenging. Although ADH/ALH are not technically "precancerous" it matters because asigning a diagnosis of ADH/ALH portends a 5x increased risk of breast cancer, although ADH/ALH by itself doesnt necessarily need to be "treated".

 

[Medbum]

Thank you so much for the clarification!