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The Value of Virtual Chromoendoscopy in the Workup of Patients with Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

  • Head and Neck Cancers (EY Hanna, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Oncology Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

Second primary tumors (SPTs) significantly increase the mortality in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs). Virtual chromoendoscopy (VCE) could complement or replace lugol chromoendoscopy (LCE) for early esophageal second primary tumor (ESPT) detection. An overview of the existing techniques and their diagnostic performance in early detection of esophageal squamous cell neoplasms is provided.

Recent Findings

Nowadays, LCE is the golden standard to detect ESPTs. Recently, multiple new VCE techniques have been developed. Especially narrow-band imaging (NBI) is promising. It shows similar sensitivity to LCE, but a significantly higher specificity.

Summary

Patients with HNSCC are prone to develop ESPTs, both synchronous and metachronous, with a substantial negative impact on survival rates. Therefore, active screening and follow-up is necessary. LCE is an effective screening method, but has some disadvantages. Countering these drawbacks, NBI shows a high potential in early ESPT detection in high-risk patients. Additional multicenter studies are needed to compare diagnostic performance and cost-effectiveness of NBI and other VCE techniques with LCE.

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Abbreviations

AFI:

Autofluorescence imaging

BA:

Brownish area

BLI:

Blue light imaging

DF-NBI:

Dual-focus narrow-band imaging

ESPT:

Esophageal second primary tumor

FICE:

Flexible spectral imaging color enhancement

HNSCC:

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

HRME:

High-resolution microendoscopy

iCLE:

Integrated confocal laser endoscopy

LCE:

Lugol chromoendoscopy

LVL:

Lugol voiding lesion

M:

Magnifying

NBI:

Narrow-band imaging

NM:

Non-magnifying

NPV:

Negative predictive value

pCLE:

Probe-based confocal laser endoscopy

PPV:

Positive predictive value

SFORL:

Société Française d’ Otorhinolaryngologie

SPT:

Second primary tumor

TNE:

Transnasal endoscopy

UADT:

Upper aerodigestive tract

VCE:

Virtual chromoendoscopy

WLE:

White light endoscopy

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Leuven Cancer Institute, University Hospitals Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium

    Charlotte Van Lierde, Brecht Gyselinck, Jeroen Meulemans, Pierre Delaere & Vincent Vander Poorten

  2. Section Head and Neck Oncology, Department of Oncology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

    Charlotte Van Lierde, Brecht Gyselinck, Jeroen Meulemans & Vincent Vander Poorten

  3. Gastroenterology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

    Raf Bisschops

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Head and Neck Cancers

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Van Lierde, C., Gyselinck, B., Meulemans, J. et al. The Value of Virtual Chromoendoscopy in the Workup of Patients with Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Curr Oncol Rep 22, 121 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11912-020-00982-z

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