Benign and Malignant Tumors · Pathology

Which of the following features is a common nuclear change seen in malignant cells but rarely in benign ones?

  1. Uniformly small and round nuclei
  2. High nuclear-to-cytoplasmic (N/C) ratio
  3. Abundant, pale cytoplasm
  4. Presence of a single, small, inconspicuous nucleolus
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Correct answer: High nuclear-to-cytoplasmic (N/C) ratio

Malignant cells often exhibit enlarged nuclei, resulting in a high N/C ratio approaching 1:1 rather than the normal 1:4 or 1:6. This reflects increased DNA content and high metabolic activity associated with cancer.

Difficulty: Medium Question 5 of 20

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