title: Nasopharyngeal biopsy in adults: a large-scale study in a non endemic area.
abstract: Limited data exist on the referral criteria for endoscopic-guided nasopharyngeal biopsy to rule out nasopharyngeal malignancy among adults in a non-endemic area.
  
  
  
  Retrospective study of all adult patients that had been referred to our outpatient clinic to undergo endoscopic-guided nasopharyngeal biopsy to exclude nasopharyngeal malignancy between 1/2006-10/2013. All medical consultation referral letters were reviewed, and statistical analyses were conducted to evaluate clinically significant predictors (demographics, clinical manife- stations, nasopharyngeal endoscopic findings) for nasopharyngeal malignancy.
  
  
  
  A total of 470 patients (470 nasopharyngeal biopsies, 54.9% males and 66% smokers) were included. The most common pathological result was adenoid/lymphoid hyperplasia (76.2%). The overall negative rate of all biopsies for malignancy was 94.2%. Twenty-seven patients had nasopharyngeal malignancy: 22 had squamous cell carcinoma and 5 had non-Hodgkin`s lymphoma. Advanced age, cervical mass, and suspicious nasopharyngeal mass were independent risk factors for nasopharyngeal malignancy on univariate and multivariate analyses.
  
  
  
  Nasopharyngeal biopsy may safely be avoided in adults living in a non-endemic area for NPC who are free of the risk factors of advanced age, the presence of a cervical mass, and suspicious nasopharyngeal mass.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abu-Ghanem
authors.forename: Narin-Nard
authors.initials: NN
authors.lastname: Carmel
authors.forename: Gilad
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Horowitz
authors.forename: Moshe
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yehuda
authors.forename: Moshe
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leshno
authors.forename: Yasmin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Abu-Ghanem
authors.forename: Dan M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Fliss
authors.forename: Avraham
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abergel
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001706:Biopsy / Q000379:methods*; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D005260:Female; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies