The Use of Narrow-Band Imaging to Improve Pathological Margin in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial

ImportanceIntraoperative narrow-band imaging (NBI) has been used to improve superficial (mucosal) resection margin clearance in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). However, no study has been conducted in a randomized controlled trial comparing OSCC resection using NBI and standard white light (WL).ObjectiveTo compare the rate of pathological margin clearance between NBI-guided and WL-guided resection in OSCC patients.DesignParallel-design, single-center, randomized controlled trial.SettingTertiary care center, Department of Otolaryngology.ParticipantsOne hundred and four OSCC patients undergoing surgical resection were included in the study.InterventionPatients were randomly assigned to have either NBI-guided (n = 52) or WL-guided (n = 52) resection.Main Outcome MeasuresFinal pathological margin status and clinical outcomes, including type of defect reconstruction and functional outcomes (persisting tracheostomy and tube feeding), were compared between the 2 groups.ResultsA significantly higher rate of clear superficial margin was achieved in patients in the NBI group than in the WL group (96.2% and 80.8%, respectively, <i>P</i> = .014). The locoregional or free flap reconstruction rates between the 2 groups were indistinguishable. Oral tongue and floor of the mouth primaries were detected more frequently in the NBI group, which may affect the postoperative deglutition function, leading to insignificantly higher rates of persistent tracheostomy and feeding tube (11.5% vs 5.8%, <i>P</i> = .488, and 19.2% vs 13.5%, <i>P</i> = .597, respectively).Conclusions and RelevanceThe study demonstrated that intraoperative NBI-guided resection in OSCC resulted in a more precise definition of superficial tumor margin than the standard WL-guided resection. In addition, the reconstruction method and functional outcomes were comparable between the 2 groups.