A patient who has a 40 pack-year history of smoking may have dysplasia of the epithelial cells in her bronchi. What would the nurse tell the patient about dysplastic cells in the bronchi?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Dysplasia is bizarre cell growth resulting in cells that differ in size, shape, or arrangement from other cells of the same tissue type. Dysplastic cells have a tendency to become malignant; dysplasia is seen commonly in epithelial cells in the bronchi of people who smoke. This may not be a harmless condition and dysplasia does not cause scar tissue. Hyperplasia is an increase in the number of new cells.

A Patient Who Has a 40 Pack-Year History of Smoking