Definition

A term used to describe cells that have a higher-than-normal amount of DNA, such as having more than the usual number of chromosomes. Most human cells, except for egg and sperm cells, normally contain 46 chromosomes (23 pairs) in each cell. Some types of cancer cells, such as neuroblastoma cells or leukemia cells, may be hyperdiploid. Knowing whether cancer cells are hyperdiploid may help plan treatment and estimate prognosis.