In-situ carcinoma adjacent to recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Evidence of a new growth?

Eighty biopsies from 74 patients with recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma diagnosed in the years 1988 to 1990 inculsive were reviewed. The overlying epithelium was assessed for the presence of in-situ malignant change using a Gomori reticulin stain in addition to the routine haematoxylin and eosin stain. In-situ change was seen in the overlying epithelium or adjacent epithelium in 11 of these biopsies from 10 patients (13.5%). These changes were extensive and where normal epithelium was seen there was an abrupt transition from the normal to abnormal epithelium. As patients treated for NPC sustain such a high risk of developing another new growth, close and careful follow up of these patients will allow a good opportunity for research into the carcinogenesis of this tumor.