[Prevalence of abnormal mucosal findings in patients in HNO practices].
OBJECTIVE
To date, no secondary prevention program is in place for patients carrying an increased risk for developing head and neck cancer (HNSCC). In terms of successful, long-term curative therapy and increased quality of life, it would be useful to detect such diseases at an early stage.


METHODS
A total of 370 patients with at least one risk factor such as "smoking", "alcohol", or "reflux disease" and without any symptoms were examined during a 1-year period using standard HNO methods (e. g. endoscopy) for suspicious alterations of the mucosa of the upper aerodigestive tract.


RESULTS
In 13 (3.5%) of all 370 cases a biopsy was taken for further diagnosis. Squamous cell carcinoma was found in eight cases, while one further patient was suffering from non-Hodgkin lymphoma.


CONCLUSIONS
It is simple and safe to examine patients at risk of developing HNSCC by standard HNO methods. The rate of detected carcinomas is much higher than in former investigations, likely because our survey focused only on patients with specific risk factors.
Wissenschaftliches Institut für angewandte HNO-Heilkunde des Deutschen Berufsverbandes der HNO-Ärzte e. V., Maienbeeck 1, 24576, Bad Bramstedt, Deutschland. praxis@hnoarzt-bad-bramstedt.de
J
J
Löhler
A O H
AO
Gerstner
F
F
Bootz
H
H
Heinritz
A
A
Fryen
G
G
Fryen
N
N
Holstein
A
A
Lingg
J
J
Kleeberg
W
W
Langhoff
G
G
Rösch
A
A
Hanisch
E
E
Schneeberg
D
D
Heinrich
L E
LE
Walther
D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000473:pathology*; D010036:Otolaryngology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence; D011331:Private Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors