Abstract

BACKGROUND
Histologic progressive changes of bile duct epithelium with hyperplasia, dysplasia and cholangiocarcinoma could be caused by hepatolithiasis. To be clarified as a neoplastic process, this histologic process should be evaluated with various aspects of cell biology.
METHODS
Immunohistochemical study of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) was performed on 45 cases (10; normal, 15; hyperplasia, 14; low-grade dysplasia:LGD, 6; high-grade dysplasia: HGD) of hepatolithiasis and 10 cases (all HGD) of hepatolithiasis with cholangiocarcinoma.
RESULTS
In the hepatolithiasis, mean PCNA labelling indices (LI) of normal, hyperplasia, LGD and HGD of major intrahepatic bile duct epithelium were 24.5+/-4.3, 51.5+/-0.1, 62.0+/-.4 and 84.7+/-.3, respectively and gradually increased. Mean LI of PCNA in HGD of major intrahepatic bile duct epithelium of hepatolithiasis with cholangiocarcinoma was 68.7+/-.7, which was similar to that of LGD in hepatolithiasis without cholangiocarcinoma.
CONCLUSIONS
Histologic transformation through hyperplasia, dysplasia and carcinoma in major intrahepatic bile duct epithelium of hepatolithiasis may be a neoplastic process if these histologic changes are evaluated in the cellular proliferation aspect.

• Keywords: Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen-Bile Duct Diseases-Cholangiocarcinoma