Laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma
Laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma
Updated: 10/12/2021
© Jun Wang, MD, PhD
General features
- Majority of laryngeal cancers
- Predominantly male; usually ages 40+
Risk factors
- Smoking, enhanced by heavy alcohol consumption
- HPV
Clinical presentations
- Dysphonia/aphonia
- Dysphagia
- Blood-tinged sputum, etc
- Metastases: Regional lymph nodes and lungs
- Direct extension to surrounding structures: Thyroid gland and jugular vein
Key pathogenesis
- HPV associated tumorigenesis: E6 and E7
Key morphological features
- Mass, possibly ulcerated
- Irregular nests, cords of atypical squamous cells (Large nuclei, irregular nuclear shape and size, irregular chromatin pattern)
- Squamous differentiation (intercellular bridges, squamous pearls)
Treatment
- Goals of therapy: Remove the tumor and prevent recurrence while maintaining laryngeal function
- Surgery, radiation, chemotherapy
Poor prognostic factors
- High initial staging
- Tumor grade
- Vascular invasion
- Negative HPV testing
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