| [ Summary ] |
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is generally advanced at presentation and has a poor prognosis. Extensive surgical resection causes loss of swallowing function and/or speaking, and cosmetic deformities. If we could detect the lesions at an earlier stage, such as carcinoma in situ, it obviously would provide many benefits to patients. However, it has been difficult to detect early HNSCC during routine endoscopic examination, while numerous endoscopists pass the endoscope through the oral cavity and the pharynx. Recent epidemiologic studies have identified HNSCC and esophageal squamous cell carcinomas as being in the high risk group. In addition, we found for the first time that a new optical technique, narrow band imaging (NBI), was quite useful for detecting superficial HNSCC. When commercially available, NBI may be a promising and powerful tool to identify squamous cell carcinoma at an earlier stage in head and neck mucosal sites. In the near future, we should give such subjects our careful attention during routine examinations. We report herein the new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for early HNSCC. |