title: Value of narrow band imaging endoscopy in early mucosal head and neck cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study was to show the investigated prevalence rate of brownish spots of early cancer under narrow band imaging (NBI) in different sites/types of the epithelium.
  
  
  METHODS
  In all, 125 adults with early mucosal cancer underwent NBI examination. Four types of epithelium were categorized: keratinized thick stratified squamous (type 1), nonkeratinized thin (type 2a) or very thick (type 2b) stratified squamous, and pseudo-stratified ciliated columnar epithelium (type 3).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence rate of brownish spots in early cancer of the nasopharynx, oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx, and epiglottis were 11.1%, 15.9%, 21.4%, 100%, and 100%, respectively. Type 2a epithelium (odds ratio [OR], 76.45; 95% confidence interval [CI], 9.26-631.14) was a significant predictive factor for the brownish spots.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The brownish spots have higher reliability for screening in early cancer of the mouth floor, hypopharynx, and epiglottis, but not in other mucosal sites. Mucosal sites with type 2a epithelium have a higher tendency of demonstrating brownish spots.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Chiayi, Taiwan and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Chiayi County, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yen-Chun
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Wen-Hung
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Kam-Fai
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Wan-Chi
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Hsu-Huei
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Weng
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer / Q000379:methods*; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000473:pathology; D062048:Narrow Band Imaging; D015995:Prevalence