OBJECTIVE: Cervical nodal metastasis from clinically undetectable primary squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) accounts for 1-2% of head and neck malignancies. We retrospectively evaluate the ability of Narrow band imaging combined with magnifying endoscopy (NBI-ME) to detect the primary sites of superficial SCC in the head and neck region. METHODS: This was a report of 11 patients. We performed with NBI-ME to detect unknown primary sites in the head and neck. RESULTS: Among 11 patients, primary sites were detected in eight. Primary sites were detected in the head and neck in 6 (54.5%) of 11 patients on NBI-ME, all 6 primary lesions were a flat lesion. Two patients in whom primary lesions could not be detected on NBI-ME, one had submucosal tumor like lesion, the other featured by a detectable primary lesion 19 months after neck dissection. CONCLUSION: NBI-ME can be recommended as an essential procedure for the detection of primary lesions in patients with primary unknown cervical lymph node metastasis.
OBJECTIVE: Cervical nodal metastasis from clinically undetectable primary squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) accounts for 1-2% of head and neck malignancies. We retrospectively evaluate the ability of Narrow band imaging combined with magnifying endoscopy (NBI-ME) to detect the primary sites of superficial SCC in the head and neck region. METHODS: This was a report of 11 patients. We performed with NBI-ME to detect unknown primary sites in the head and neck. RESULTS: Among 11 patients, primary sites were detected in eight. Primary sites were detected in the head and neck in 6 (54.5%) of 11 patients on NBI-ME, all 6 primary lesions were a flat lesion. Two patients in whom primary lesions could not be detected on NBI-ME, one had submucosal tumor like lesion, the other featured by a detectable primary lesion 19 months after neck dissection. CONCLUSION:NBI-ME can be recommended as an essential procedure for the detection of primary lesions in patients with primary unknown cervical lymph node metastasis.