Early detection of recurrent hypopharyngeal cancer after radiotherapy by utilizing narrow-band imaging-report of a case

Abstract

Narrow - band Imaging (NBI) is a novel optical technique in which the diagnostic capability of endoscopes in characterizing tissue is enhanced by the use of narrow - bandwidth filters in the video endoscope system. We report a case of early recurrence of hypopharyngeal cancer after radical radiotherapy which was detected by laryngoscopy using NBI. A 66 - year - old man with right pyriform sinus cancer was treated by radical radiotherapy in March 2004. Twenty months later, laryngoscopy using NBI revealed an abnormal lesion in the right pyriform sinus, visualized as scattered brownish dots, which highly suggestive of a malignant lesion. After obtaining written informed consent from the patient, endoscopic mucosal resection of the lesion was performed. Histological examination of the resected specimen revealed a squamous cell carcinoma in situ. The patient did not need any additional therapy. Laryngoscopy using NBI appears to have good potential to detect early stage local tumor recurrence after radical radiotherapy.