The clinicopathologic significance of small areas unstained by Lugol's iodine in the mucosa surrounding resected esophageal carcinoma: an analysis of 147 cases.
BACKGROUND
Small areas unstained with Lugol's iodine are often observed in the mucosa surrounding esophageal carcinomas.


METHODS
For light microscopic evaluation, the histologic features of 131 small areas unstained by Lugol's iodine in 12 selected cases were investigated. For clinicopathologic evaluation, the numbers of small areas unstained by Lugol's iodine in the mucosa surrounding 147 consecutively resected esophageal carcinomas, including these 12 cases, were counted. The relation between the incidence of such areas and the development of multiple primary cancers in the upper aerodigestive tract was examined together with data on the patients' tobacco and alcohol consumption.


RESULTS
Ninety-two percent (131) of the small areas unstained by Lugol's iodine contained dysplastic lesions. Seventeen (12%) of the 147 resected specimens contained fewer than 5 small unstained areas, whereas 52 (35%) had 6-10 and 78 (53%) had more than 11 such areas. The incidence of multicentric cancer in the upper aerodigestive tract and the average alcohol index scores were significantly higher for patients who had more than 11 unstained areas than for patients who had fewer than 5 such areas (P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Lugol's iodine staining method is useful for detecting groups at high risk of multicentric cancer in the upper aerodigestive tract.
Nakanishi
Y
Y
Pathology Division, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan.
Ochiai
A
A
Yoshimura
K
K
Kato
H
H
Shimoda
T
T
Yamaguchi
H
H
Tachimori
Y
Y
Watanabe
H
H
Hirohashi
S
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D004396:Coloring Agents; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007454:Iodides; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000473:pathology*; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D009378:Neoplasms, Multiple Primary / Q000473:pathology*; D010039:Otorhinolaryngologic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000473:pathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012907:Smoking; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods
D004396:Coloring Agents; D007454:Iodides; C010389:Lugol's solution