What is poorly differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma? Refers to the degree of differentiation between cancer cells and normal cells

What is poorly differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma? A patient with giant liver cancer may not be found to have metastasis to blood vessels, lymph nodes, or organs after comprehensive examinations, including surgical exploration; whereas a patient with small liver cancer may have unexpected conditions such as portal vein cancer thrombus and lymph node metastasis. Why is this so? To answer this question and unlock the mystery, we must talk about the nature and behavioral characteristics of liver cancer cells themselves.

Large or small liver cancers are all liver cancers, but the characteristics of the liver cancer cells may be very different. The liver cancer cells that make up liver cancer lesions can be close to normal liver cells in morphology and characteristics, or they can be very different from normal liver cells. Liver cancer cells that have little difference in morphology and characteristics from normal liver cells are called well-differentiated liver cancer cells, and the liver cancer lesions formed by them are called well-differentiated liver cancers. Conversely, they are called poorly differentiated liver cancer cells and poorly differentiated liver cancer.

The so-called differentiation degree of liver cancer cells refers to the difference between these cancer cells and normal liver cells. The greater the difference, the lower the differentiation degree, and the more malignant the liver cancer is; the smaller the difference, the higher the differentiation degree, and the less malignant the liver cancer is. Knowing the reason, it is not difficult to answer the previous question. The secret lies in that the huge liver cancer that has not metastasized may have a higher degree of cell differentiation, while the small liver cancer that metastasizes very early may be due to its low degree of differentiation.

The liver cancer cells that form liver cancer lesions can be close to normal liver cells in morphology and characteristics, or they can be very different from normal liver cells. Liver cancer cells that have little difference in morphology and characteristics from normal liver cells are called well-differentiated liver cancer cells, and the liver cancer lesions formed by them are called well-differentiated liver cancer; on the contrary, they are called poorly differentiated liver cancer cells and poorly differentiated liver cancer.