Study population
A total of 197 patients were enrolled during the study period. Table 1 shows the characteristics of the patients. The patients included 167 men and 30 women with a median age of 73 years (range, 55-90 years). Regarding eligibility, there were 169 patients after endoscopic treatment for esophageal cancer, 80 patients after treatment for head and neck cancer (61 duplicated cases), and 9 patients referred for suspected esophageal cancer (without biopsy). Of the 197 patients enrolled, 4 were excluded because of inability to pass the endoscope due to stenosis after treatment (Figure 2). After routine endoscopic examination, 90 patients were diagnosed with suspected tumorous lesions and underwent ultra-high magnifying observation. There were 3 failed cases in which ultra-high magnifying observation could not be performed because of loss of sight of the lesion after staining.
Table 1. Characteristics of the patients who were registered in the study
Sex, male/female
|
167/30
|
Age (years), Median (range)
|
73 (55-90)
|
Background
|
|
After endoscopic resection for ESCC
After treatment for HNSCC
Referral cases (without biopsy)
|
169†
80†
9
|
Abbreviations: ESCC, esophageal squamous cell carcinoma; HNSCC, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
†Sixty one patients were duplicated.
Diagnostic outcome
The percentage of evaluable endocytoscopic images obtained in this study was 96.7% (95% confidence interval (CI), 90.8%-98.9%).
Table 2 shows the characteristics of 41 lesions in 37 patients who were comprehensively diagnosed with cancer and underwent ESD. The mean (±SD) tumor diameter was 15.4 ± 4.9 mm. One lesion was located in the cervical esophagus (Ce), 13 were located in the upper thoracic esophagus (Ut), 13 were located in the middle thoracic esophagus (Mt), 14 were located in the lower thoracic esophagus (Lt), and there was no lesion in the abdominal esophagus (Ae). In WLI, all of the lesions had redness and 17 lesions had surface irregularities. In NBI, all of the lesions had a brownish area and 38 lesions had background coloration. For the EC classification, there was no lesion classified as 1a, 1b, or 2, and all 41 lesions were classified as 3 (Figure 3). ESD was performed in all patients at a later date, and the histopathological diagnosis of the resected specimens was SCC in all 41 lesions. The depths of tumor invasion were pT1a-EP in 14 lesions, pT1a-LPM in 25 lesions, and pT1a-MM in 2 lesions.
Table 2. Characteristics of the lesions that were diagnosed with cancer and underwent ESD
|
41 lesions (37 patients)
|
Lesions, size (mm), mean (±SD)
|
15.4 ± 4.9
|
Location, Ce/Ut/Mt/Lt/Ae
|
1/13/13/14/0
|
Endoscopic findings (WLI)
Redness +/-
Surface irregular +/-
Endoscopic findings (NBI)
Brownish area +/-
Background coloration +/-
|
41/0
17/24
41/0
38/3
|
EC classification
1a/1b/2/3
|
0/0/0/41
|
Histopathological diagnosis
|
|
Cancer/noncancer
|
41/0
|
Depth of invasion
EP/LPM/MM
|
14/25/2
|
Abbreviations: ESD, endoscopic submucosal dissection; Ce, cervical esophagus; Ut, upper thoracic esophagus; Mt, middle thoracic esophagus; Lt, lower thoracic esophagus; Ae, abdominal esophagus; WLI, white light imaging; NBI, narrow band imaging; EP, epithelium; LPM, lamina propria mucosae; MM, muscularis mucosae.
Table 3 shows the characteristics of the 50 lesions in 50 patients comprehensively diagnosed as non-cancerous. The mean (±SD) lesion size was 9.6 ± 3.3 mm. Eighteen lesions were located in the Ut, 21 were located in the Mt, 10 were located in the Lt, and one lesion was located in the Ae. In WLI, 32 lesions had redness and 4 lesions had surface irregularities. In NBI, 47 lesions had a brownish area and 2 lesions had background coloration. For the EC classification, there was no lesion classified as 1a and 26 lesions were classified as 1b, 23 lesions were classified as 2 (Figure 4), and one lesion was classified as 3. In that case of EC3, there were no WLI or NBI findings strongly suggestive of malignancy, but ECS showed EC3. Comprehensive diagnosis of the lesion was non-cancer and a biopsy was performed. Histopathologically, only the EC3-rated lesion was diagnosed as SCC, while the other lesions were diagnosed as non-cancerous. Subclassification of noncancer was IN in 10 lesions, esophagitis in 31 lesions, and regenerative epithelium in 8 lesions.
Table 3. Characteristics of the lesions that were diagnosed as non-cancerous
|
50 lesions (50 patients)
|
Lesions, size (mm), mean
|
9.6 ± 3.3
|
Location, Ce/Ut/Mt/Lt/Ae
|
0/18/21/10/1
|
Endoscopic findings (white light)
Redness +/-
Surface irregular +/-
Endoscopic findings (NBI)
Brownish area +/-
Background coloration +/-
|
32/18
4/46
47/3
2/48
|
EC classification
1a/1b/2/3
|
0/26/23/1
|
Histopathological diagnosis
|
|
Cancer/noncancer
|
1/49
|
Subclassification of noncancer
IN/Esophagitis/Regenerative ep
|
10/31/8
|
Abbreviations: Ce, cervical esophagus; Ut, upper thoracic esophagus; Mt, middle thoracic esophagus; Lt, lower thoracic esophagus; Ae, abdominal esophagus; NBI, narrow band imaging; IN, intraepithelial neoplasia; ep, epithelium.
Table 4 shows the diagnostic accuracy of ECS for each lesion. The sensitivity (95% CI) was 97.6% (87.7%-99.7%), specificity was 100% (92.7%-100%), diagnostic accuracy was 98.9% (94.0%-99.8%), PPV was 100% (91.4%-100%) and NPV was 98.0% (89.5%-99.7%).
Table 4. Accuracy of endoscopic diagnosis for esophageal lesions by using ECS (Per lesion)
Sensitivity(%)†
|
Specificity(%)†
|
Accuracy(%)†
|
PPV(%)†
|
NPV(%)†
|
97.6(87.7-99.7)
|
100(92.7-100)
|
98.9(94.0-99.8)
|
100(91.4-100)
|
98.0(89.5-99.7)
|
Abbreviations: ECS, endocytoscopy; PPV, positive predictive value; NPV, negative predictive value.
†Values are given as % (95% confidence interval).