Nuclear atypia

Nuclear atypia is a term used in pathology to describe abnormal nuclear morphology. It is often associated with malignancy, but can also be seen in benign conditions. Nuclear atypia can be a sign of cancer, precancerous conditions, or other diseases.

Characteristics

Nuclear atypia is characterized by a number of features, including:

• Increased nuclear size: The nuclei of atypical cells are often larger than those of normal cells.
• Irregular nuclear shape: The nuclei may be irregular in shape, rather than the usual round or oval shape.
• Increased nuclear chromatin: The amount of chromatin in the nucleus may be increased.
• Prominent nucleoli: The nucleoli may be more prominent than in normal cells.
• Increased nuclear to cytoplasmic ratio: The size of the nucleus relative to the cytoplasm may be increased.

Clinical significance

Nuclear atypia is often a sign of malignancy, and is therefore an important feature to look for in biopsy samples. However, it can also be seen in benign conditions, such as inflammation and reactive changes. Therefore, the presence of nuclear atypia alone is not sufficient to diagnose cancer, and other features must also be considered.

See also

• Anaplasia
• Dysplasia
• Hyperplasia
• Metaplasia
• Neoplasia

References

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