What does it mean if you have precancerous cells? (2023)

The term precancerous cells may sound scary. First, it should be clear that not all precancerous cells become cancerous. In fact, most don't. But these are abnormal cells, somewhere between normal cells and cancer cells.

Many people have heard of precancerous cells.cervixthat are found duringPapilla. However, precancerous cells can appear almost anywhere in the body, such as the skin, breasts, or colon. Unlike cancer cells, they do not invade nearby tissues or spread to distant regions of the body.

This article takes an in-depth look at what precancerous cells do and how serious they can be when found. Describes some possible causes of precancerous cells and how they can be treated.

Definition

Precancerous cells are also known as premalignant cells. They are defined as abnormal cells that can become cancer cells but are not invasive or spread.

The concept of precancerous cells and whether or not they progress can be confusing at times. This is because the answer is not always correct. In general, the cells do not go from normal on the first day to premalignant on the second day and then on the second day.Krebson the third day.

Once again, it is important to note that precancerous cells are not cancer cells. This means that they will not spread to other areas of the body if left alone. They are simply abnormal cells that can undergo changes over time that would make them cancer cells.

In theory, if the cells are removed before they turn cancerous, the condition should be 100% curable. However, it is not necessary to kill all the precancerous cells right away.

Another point of confusion is that cancer cells and precancerous cells coexist in many tumors. For example, some people with breast cancer have cancer cells in one tumor, but there may be other areas in the breast and even the tumor itself where precancerous cells are found.

Types of precancerous lesions

Cancers that start in epithelial cells (about 85% of cancers) can have a precancerous state before becoming cancer. These cells are found in the skin and in the tissues of many organs.

Some precancerous lesions include:

• Neoplasia intraepitelial cervical(CIN): a precancerous condition of cervical cancer
• Barrett's esophagus: Abnormal cells that can developesophagus cancer
• atypical lobular hyperplasia: May progress to breast cancer
• Adenomatous polyps in the colon: Can turn into colon cancer
• actinic keratosis: abnormal skin changes that can progress to squamous cell carcinoma of the skin
• Dysplastic moles: may progress to melanoma or indicate an increased risk of melanoma
• Bronchial epithelial dysplasia: can progress to lung cancer
• Atrophic gastritis: abnormal changes in the stomach that can develop into gastric cancer
• Bowen's disease: can progress to invasive skin cancer

meaning of dysplasia

The word "dysplasia" is often used to mean the same thing as "precancerous cells," but there are some differences. In many cases, when health professionals talk about dysplasia, they are actually referring to these abnormal cells that can become cancer cells.

But in some cases, the term "severe dysplasia" is used to describe cells that areofcancerous. They are still contained in the tissues where they originated and have not spread. This is known ascarcinoma in situ.

Precancerous changes are usually described in terms of the grade or degree of abnormality. Severity and degree are the two main methods used to describe them.

weight

Dysplasia can range from mild to severe:

• mild dysplasia: Mild dysplasia refers to cells that are only slightly abnormal. These cells usually do not become cancer.
• Moderate Dysplasia: These cells are moderately abnormal and have a higher risk of developing cancer.
• severe dysplasia: This is the most extreme abnormality seen before a cell is called cancerous. Severe dysplasia is much more likely to develop into cancer.

An example that can illustrate this is thedisplasia cervicalfound on some Pap smears. Cells that have mild dysplasia rarely become cancerous.

Walnuts

Another way to describe the severity of precancerous changes in cells is to use a grading system. In the case of cells from the cervix, these grades are often used when performing a biopsy after detecting dysplasia on the Pap smear.

• low grade dysplasia: Minor cell changes are unlikely to cause cancer.
• high grade dysplasia:High-level cell changes are much more likely to develop into cancer.

An example of this would be low-grade dysplasia seen on a cervical biopsy. The likelihood of these changes leading to cancer is quite low.In contrast, high-grade colonic dysplasia is associated withcolon polypshave a high risk of progressingcolon cancer.

causes

There are some factors that can cause cells to become precancerous. They vary depending on the specific type of cells involved. In the past, researchers believed that the damage was caused bycarcinogenic, or carcinogens in the environment that turn healthy cells abnormal.

Scientists working in the field of epigenetics are now learning that the cells in our bodies are more resilient. A variety of factors, such as carcinogens, hormones, or perhaps even stress, all interact. The combination determines how abnormal changes in a cell can progress.

One way to understand the causes is to look at possible reasons why healthy cells can become damaged, leading to genetic changes which in turn lead to abnormal growth and development.

Infection

Viral, bacterial and parasitic infections account for 15 to 20% of cancers worldwide. This number is lower in the US and other developed countries.

for example aHuman papillomavirus (HPV)The infection can cause inflammation that leads to precancerous cells in the cervix. Most HPV infections clear up before abnormal cell changes occur. Once dysplasia starts, it may go away on its own or with treatment.

On the other hand, it can also lead to cervical cancer if left untreated.HPV is also a major cause of dysplasia, which can progress to head and neck cancer, such as:Tongue cancermithroat cancer.

Another example isHelicobacter pylori(H. pylori) infection. These bacteria cause inflammation and can lead to a condition called chronic atrophic gastritis. This can lead to precancerous changes in the stomach lining, which in turn can lead to cancer.Stomach cancer.

Chronic inflamation

Chronic (persistent) inflammation in tissues can lead to precancerous changes. An example is in people who havegastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)for a longer period. Inflammation of the esophagus caused by stomach acid can lead to a condition known as Barrett's esophagus.

About 0.5% of people with Barrett's esophagus develop esophageal cancer each year. An important area of ​​research is whether removing areas of high-grade dysplasia caused by the disease reduces the risk of developing esophageal cancer.

Another example is inflammation of the colon in people withinflammatory bowel disease (IBD). IBD can lead to colonic dysplasia polyps, which in turn can lead to colon cancer.

chemical exposure

Chronic exposure to tobacco smoke, air pollution, and some industrial chemicals can cause dysplasia dysplasiabronchi, the main airways to the lungs. If caught early, precancerous cells can sometimes be treated with cryosurgery. This is a procedure to freeze cells to prevent them from growing before they become lung cancer.

latency and progression

A discussion of precancerous cell changes provides a good opportunity to talk about another concept that can be difficult to understand. This is called latency.

People are often surprised when they develop cancer many years after exposure to a carcinogen. For example, some people are diagnosed with lung cancer even though they quit smoking three decades ago.

Genetic damage occurs when cells are first exposed to a cancer-causing agent. But it's usually an accumulation of this damage and associated genetic mutations that causes a cell to become precancerous.

The cell can then go through stages of mild to moderate dysplasia, and then severe, before becoming a cancer cell. This progression to cancer may also be limited by other factors in your environment, or may even fall on onenormal cell. That's why a healthy diet and exercise are important, even if you've been exposed to a carcinogen.

The process is much more complex than you might think, but understanding the basics helps explain the latency period that occurs in many types of cancer.

When do cells become cancerous?

Most of the time, the answer to how long it can take for a precancerous cell to become cancerous varies. The response also depends on the type of cell involved.

In a study that looked at 101 people with abnormal cellular changes in the vocal cords, 15 of them developed invasive cancer.

One of them presented mild dysplasia, one moderate dysplasia, seven severe dysplasia, and six carcinoma in situ. In 73% of these people, their precancerous lesions turned into invasive vocal cord cancer within one year. The rest of them developed cancer years later.

Terms that describe progress

There are many terms that describe cells that may seem difficult. Another example may help clarify these concepts.

ComLung squamous cell carcinoma, it appears that cells progress in a specific way before cancer develops. It starts with normal lung cells. The first change ishyperplasia, which means that the cells are growing more or faster than expected.

The second step isMetaplasia. Here the cells change into an abnormal cell type that is not normally present. Esophageal metaplasia, for example, is when cells similar to those normally found in the small intestine are present. This can lead to esophageal cancer.

The third stage is dysplasia, followed by carcinoma in situ and finally invasive squamous cell carcinoma.

symptoms

People with precancerous cells usually have no symptoms. If symptoms are present, they depend on the location of these cellular changes.

In the cervix, for example, cellular changes can causeabnormal uterine bleeding.Or precancerous changes in the mouth can appear as white patches.

In the stomach, colon, and other parts of the digestive tract, precancerous changes can be seen during colonoscopy, upper GI endoscopy, and other procedures.

And in regions that aren't visible to the naked eye, such as the tissue lining the airways, dysplasia is more commonly found when a screening biopsy is done for another reason.

To diagnose

A physical exam or imaging tests may suggest the presence of abnormal cells, but a biopsy is needed to make the diagnosis. After removing a section of tissue, pathologists examine the cells under a microscope to look for signs that the cells are precancerous or cancerous. You can determine the stage and grade of the cells.

Treatment

Treatment of precancerous cells also depends on their location in the body. In some cases, only close monitoring is recommended to see if the degree of dysplasia progresses or resolves without treatment.

Often, precancerous cells are removed by a procedure such ascryotherapy(freezing the cells) or surgery to remove the area where the abnormal cells are found.

If abnormal cervical cells are treated with cryotherapy, it is still important to be aware of future problems with the Pap smear.And when Barrett's esophagus is treated with cryotherapy, you need to continue to monitor the health of the esophageal tissue.

For some abnormalities, your doctor may recommend chemoprevention. This is the use of a drug that lowers the risk that the cells will become abnormal again later.

For example, treating an H. pylori infection removes the bacteria from the stomach. It seems to reduce precancerous cells and the development of gastric cancer.

Researchers are studying the use of various drugs and vitamins to see if their use in current and former smokers will reduce the risk of developing lung cancer in the future.

Remember also that, in some cases, the progression of precancerous changes can be influenced by environmental factors. This includes the foods we eat, the amount of exercise we get, and the lifestyle choices we make. A diet rich in foods that contain certain vitamins, for example, can help the body eliminate the HPV virus more quickly.

Likewise, it is important to consider tobacco and other substances that may be responsible for precancerous changes. Avoiding them can reduce the risk that abnormal cells will progress or that other precancerous cells will develop in the future.

An example is the situation of smoking and cervical cancer. Although smoking by itself does not appear to cause cervical cancer, smoking combined with an HPV infection increases the chance of developing cancer.

Summary

Precancerous cells are cells that show abnormal changes but have not yet become cancer cells. In many cases, they won't. But cancer can develop from these changes, so it's important to detect them through routine tests and other measures.

The abnormal changes seen in these cells are due to a number of causes, which may include infection, inflammation, or environmental exposure. Some precancerous cells only require monitoring. Treatment for other people depends on where they are and what may have caused it.

Discuss any precancerous cells and the appropriate next steps with your doctor.

A word from Verywell

It is never too late to take preventive measures, even if you have been diagnosed with cancer. People who have been diagnosed with cancer may also benefit from learning how to reduce their risk of cancer or prevent it from coming back. Diet, exercise, and other healthy lifestyle choices can help.

Take a moment to read tips to reduce your cancer risk that can help reduce lung and other cancers.diet superfoodsthat can help reduce your risk of getting cancer or getting cancer again.