The sensitivity of transnasal biopsy at random for the diagnosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

ABSTRACT

Randomized biopsy by the transnasal blind technique for the diagnosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma was studied. The biopsy was performed under local anaesthesia on first visit of each patient. The sensitivity of the first biopsy was up to 87.06 per cent among random patients (85 patients) and 87.68 per cent among selected patients (138 patients). The overall sensitivity of randomized biopsy from both groups was 87.44 per cent (223 patients), while the sensitivity of endoscopic-guided biopsy in a group of 37 patients was 94.59 per cent. However statistical analysis showed no significant difference between the two methods (p=0.34). It is concluded that transnasal biopsy at random for the diagnosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma should still be recommended because it is simple, safe, well tolerated by the patient and cost-effective as no expensive instruments are required.