ABSTRACT
From the studies reviewed it would appear that the basophilic foci correlate with the appearance of tumours better than the clear cell or eosinophilic foci. Because many of the hepatocellular carcinomas resemble the basophilic foci cytologically it has been suggested that the tumours arise from these foci. Morphological similarity is no proof of an identical histogenic origin so that, at the moment, one cannot say for certain whether the basiphilic foci are causally related to tumour development or merely represent a parallel, but unrelated, phenomenon. There is little doubt, however, about their value as an early indication of tumour development by peroxisome proliferators.
