Role of Lugol dye endoscopy in the diagnosis of early esophageal cancer.

To evaluate the role of Lugol dye endoscopy in diagnosing early esophageal cancer, we reviewed findings of dye endoscopy and those of conventional endoscopy in 17 early esophageal cancers that were demonstrated as unstained areas on dyeing with Lugol solution. Histologically, all 17 lesions were squamous cell carcinomas; 10 lesions being mucosal carcinomas, the remaining 7 lesions mucosal carcinomas spreading beyond the epithelial layer