Head and Neck ImagingField cancerization
concept explaining the high incidence of a second
malignant mucosal
tumour discovered during the diagnostic investigation or follow-up of the first
carcinoma in the respiratory tract (
Fig.1). Smoking and alcohol abuse irritate the entire
mucosa of the respiratory tract, inducing premalignant and
malignant lesions. This has led to the concept of 'field cancerization' or 'condemned mucosa', initially published in the context of the
oral region, but can be extended to include for the entire head and neck
mucosa. The reported frequency of such a second
malignant tumour ranges from 10 to 35%.
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Contrast-enhanced CT study performed for staging purposes of a right-sided oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (a, arrowheads). During this study, a second, clinically occult, cancer was detected in the left pyriform sinus (b, arrows).
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Field cancerization, Fig.1 (a) | | Field cancerization, Fig.1 (b) | |