How phenotype guides management of non-conventional squamous cell carcinomas of the larynx?

Basaloid squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx: A rare case report

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE

Basaloid squamous cell carcinoma (BSCC) is a rare and aggressive subtype of squamous cell carcinoma. BSCC in the larynx is an extremely rare occurrence, with only a few cases reported in the medical literature. This case report aims to shed light on the clinical presentation, diagnostic challenges, histopathological features, and therapeutic considerations associated with this rare entity.

CASE PRESENTATION

This case report describes a 65-year-old male patient who presented with hoarseness and dyspnea. Laryngoscopy revealed a 2.5 cm pedunculated lesion on the left vocal cord. The patient underwent a laryngectomy, and the histopathological examination of the excised specimen confirmed the diagnosis of BSCC.

CLINICAL DISCUSSION

BSCC of the larynx is a rare malignancy comprising less than 1 % of laryngeal cancers. Clinical features often overlap those of squamous cell carcinoma, such as hoarseness, progressive breathing difficulties, and swallowing issues. Treatment approaches vary, with some opting for neo-adjuvant radiotherapy before surgery, like in this case, while others favor surgical excision as the primary treatment, supplemented by adjuvant chemo- or radiotherapy in certain cases.

CONCLUSION

Basaloid squamous cell carcinoma is a rare variant of squamous cell carcinoma. Clinicians and pathologists should be aware of the distinctive characteristics of BSCC and its potential clinical aggressiveness. While rare, early recognition and appropriate management are essential for achieving favorable outcomes in patients with this challenging condition.

Non-Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Larynx: A State-of-the-Art Review

(1) Background: Non-squamous cell laryngeal carcinoma includes endothelial tumors, such as minor salivary gland tumors, lymphoepithelial tumors, neuroendocrine tumors, soft and hard tissue sarcomas, and malignant melanomas. (2) Methods: A state-of-the-art review using the MEDLINE/PUBMED, Google Scholar, Ovid Medline, Embase, and Scopus electronic databases was performed. (3) Conclusions: In order to optimize overall treatment outcomes, a multidisciplinary, patient-centered approach to the management of non-SCC of the larynx must be adopted universally; a national or international registry on non-SCC laryngeal cancer can be useful to improve understanding about the behavior of this kind of tumor.

Distant metastasis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma variants: A population-based study

BACKGROUND

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) with distant metastasis (DM) has poor prognosis. HNSCC has several histological variants with varying characteristics. We investigated the DM rates and prognoses of patients with DM among the HNSCC variants.

METHODS

We obtained data from 54 722 cases using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. Odds ratios (ORs) for DM and hazard ratios (HRs) for overall survival (OS) were estimated using a logistic regression model and a Cox proportional hazard model, respectively.

RESULTS

DM rate was the lowest in verrucous carcinoma and the highest in basaloid squamous cell carcinoma (BSCC) (0.2% and 9.4%, respectively). ORs for DM were 3.63 for adenosquamous carcinoma, 6.80 for BSCC, and 3.91 for spindle cell carcinoma (SpCC). SpCC was significantly associated with a poor OS (HR, 1.61).

CONCLUSIONS

DM rates differed among the HNSCC variants. The prognosis of metastatic SpCC is worse than that of other metastatic HNSCCs.

Treatment of Laryngeal Verrucous Carcinoma: 28-Year Retrospective Cohort Study and Literature Review

Objective

Laryngeal verrucous carcinoma (LVC) comprises 1% to 4% of all laryngeal tumors. Although controversial, surgery has been the mainstay of treatment, due to concern about anaplastic transformation with radiotherapy. We aimed to study LVC patients to identify treatment patterns for primary and recurrent diseases.

Study Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting

Tertiary referral center.

Methods

Patients with a pathological diagnosis of LVC treated over a 28-year period were included. Baseline demographics, and treatment outcome measures including 5-year laryngeal preservation rates (LPR), overall survival (OS), and recurrence-free survival (RFS) were included. A literature review of published studies within the same study period was also completed.

Results

Thirty-two patients were included in the analysis (median age 61.5 years, 93.8% [30/32] male). Twenty-three patients had T1 disease, and 9 had T2 disease with no evidence of regional or metastatic disease. The most common presenting symptom was hoarseness (93.8%) and the majority within the glottis 81.3% (26/32). Twenty-nine patients underwent primary surgery only (28 local excisions, 1 vertical partial laryngectomy) meanwhile 3 underwent local excision with postoperative radiotherapy. LPR, OS, and RFS at 5 years were 95.8%, 90.1%, and 80.6%, respectively. Our literature review identified 23 previous studies, mostly single-institution retrospective case series. Our study was the largest Canadian study in the literature to date.

Conclusion

All LVC patients were treated with primary surgery, consistent with the current literature with excellent 5-year OS and LPR. There was no consensus on the treatment of recurrent disease. Future prospective multicenter studies are warranted to further study this rare disease population.

Early-stage glottic cancer of rare squamous cell carcinoma variants: a population-based study

BACKGROUND

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the most common histological type of laryngeal cancer. Several variants of SCC have been reported. However, how these variants differ from conventional SCC and how they should be treated remain to be elucidated.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the prognosis of early-stage glottic cancer among SCC variants.

METHODS

We obtained data from 12471 cases using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. Disease-specific survival (DSS) and overall survival (OS) rates were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. A Cox proportional hazard model was used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) according to the variants.

RESULTS

HRs for DSS and OS compared with well-differentiated SCC were 3.83 and 3.48 for adenosquamous, 1.42 and 1.42 for basaloid, 1.14 and 1.17 for papillary, 0.85 and 0.94 for spindle, and 0.81 and 1.00 for verrucous SCC. The difference in DSS among the treatment modalities was significant in conventional and papillary SCC (p < .001 and p = .032, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

The prognosis of SCC variants, except for adenosquamous SCC, is comparable to that of conventional SCC.

Transoral laryngeal microsurgery for early-stage laryngeal basaloid squamous cell carcinoma

A 71-year-old man presented to our otolaryngology clinic with dysphagia and dyspnoea. He had a history of smoking for 40 years. Laryngoscopy showed an exophytic, round mass on the left aryepiglottic fold that was entirely excised by transoral laser CO2 microsurgery. Histological assessment revealed a pT1 basaloid squamous cell carcinoma (BSCC) with free-margin resection. He underwent close follow-up and after 3-year follow-up, the patient was free from disease. Laryngeal BSCC is a rare cancer with poor prognosis due to its late diagnosis and early neck node metastases. We report a rare case of early tumour treated by endoscopic surgery without complications or recurrence of disease. However, knowing this type of cancer and making a correct differential diagnosis are important to guarantee the best therapy and prognosis.

Definitive Radiotherapy versus Surgery for the Treatment of Verrucous Carcinoma of the Larynx: A National Cancer Database Study

Introduction  Traditionally, larger lesions of laryngeal verrucous carcinoma are treated with surgical excision, with definitive radiotherapy generally reserved for smaller lesions. However, data utilizing modern databases is limited.

Objective  The authors sought to assess, utilizing the National Cancer Database, whether overall survival for patients with laryngeal verrucous carcinoma was equivalent when treated with definitive radiotherapy versus definitive surgery.

Methods  A retrospective cohort study was conducted utilizing the National Cancer Database. All cases of laryngeal verrucous carcinoma within the National Cancer Database between 2006 and 2014 were reviewed. Patients with T1–T3 (American Joint Commission on Cancer 7th Edition) laryngeal verrucous carcinoma were included and stratified by treatment modality. Demographics, treatment, and survival data were analyzed.

Results  A total of 392 patients were included. Two hundred and fifty patients underwent surgery and 142 received radiotherapy. The two groups differed in age, transition of care, clinical T stage, and clinical stages. There was no significant difference in survival between T1–T3 lesions treated with surgery or radiotherapy ( p  = 0.32). Age, comorbidities, insurance status, and clinical T stage impacted overall hazard on multivariate analysis ( p  < 0.01). For patients treated with radiotherapy, age, insurance status, and clinical T stage were predictive of increased hazard.

Conclusion  Overall survival is equivalent for patients with clinical T1 and clinical T2 laryngeal verrucous carcinoma treated with primary radiotherapy versus primary surgery. Thus, radiotherapy should be considered as a non-inferior treatment modality for certain patients with laryngeal verrucous carcinoma.

Rare Diseases of Larynx, Trachea and Thyroid

This review article covers data on rare diseases of the larynx, the trachea and the thyroid. In particular, congenital malformations, rare manifestations of inflammatory laryngeal disorders, benign and malignant epithelial as well as non-epithelial tumors, laryngeal and tracheal manifestations of general diseases and, finally, thyroid disorders are discussed. The individual chapters contain an overview of the data situation in the literature, the clinical appearance of each disorder, important key points for diagnosis and therapy and a statement on the prognosis of the disease. Finally, the authors indicate on study registers and self-help groups.

Clinical Analysis of Laryngeal Spindle Cell Carcinoma

AIMS

To investigate the clinical features, treatment, and outcomes of laryngeal spindle cell carcinoma (SpCC).

METHODS

Between 2005 and 2014, patients from our hospital with SpCC of the larynx were retrospectively analyzed alongside patient data from the SEER database of America.

RESULTS

A total of 11 patients with SpCC of the larynx were diagnosed and underwent surgery in our hospital. All patients were male and all tumors were located in the glottis. The 3- and 5-year OS rates were both 54.5%. In the SEER database, 148 patients were diagnosed with SpCC of the larynx. The 3- and 5-year OS rates were 72.8 and 63.2%, respectively. According to the comparison of propensity score-matched analysis, the OS was longer in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the larynx (p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSION

SpCC of the larynx is rare and typically originates in the glottis. Its prognosis is worse than that of laryngeal SCC, and surgery is a reasonable treatment strategy.

Long noncoding RNA LINC01194 enhances the malignancy of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma by sponging miR-655 to increase SOX18 expression

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have undergone a comprehensive study for their involvements in tumor treatments. The purpose of our study was to explore the biological effects and regulatory mechanisms of lncRNA LINC01194 (LINC01194) in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). The levels of LINC01194 in 105 LSCC patients were detected by RT-qPCR. The diagnostic and prognostic value of LINC01194 in LSCC patients were statistically analyzed. The potential functions of LINC01194 in proliferation, apoptosis, and metastasis of LSCC cells were evaluated. The interaction among LINC01194, miR-655 and SOX18 was explored by bioinformatics analysis, luciferase reporter assays and biotinylated RNA pull-down. We found that the expression levels of LINC01194 were highly expressed in LSCC, which was negatively correlated with the clinical outcome of LSCC patients. The area under the ROC curve for LINC01194 was up to 0.8388. Functional assays indicated that LINC01194 knockdown distinctly inhibited LSCC cells proliferation, induced apoptosis, and also attenuated LSCC cells migration and invasion in vitro. Furthermore, we elucidated that LINC01194 promoted SOX18 expression in LSCC cells via functioning as a molecular sponge for miR-655. Overall, based on our findings, LINC01194 served as a tumor promoter and potentially represents a novel prognostic indicator and therapeutic target in LSCC.

Transoral Laser Surgery for Adenosquamous Carcinoma of the Glottis: First Case Report and Review of the Literature

Adenosquamous carcinoma of the head and neck is a rare cancer associated with poor prognosis. Histologically, it is identified through the presence of both adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, although it may be difficult to diagnose from initial endoscopic biopsies. We report a case of adenosquamous carcinoma of the glottis in an 82-year-old female patient who presented with progressive hoarseness of voice and in whom initial biopsies had shown only moderate to severe dysplasia. This is the first case in the literature of a primary adenosquamous carcinoma of the glottis managed successfully with a CO₂ laser left type Va cordectomy. The patient remained disease-free 28 months postoperatively.

Clinical outcome and comparison between squamous and non-squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx

Background: The various pathological types of non-squamous cell carcinomas (nSCCs) of the larynx accounted for about 5% laryngeal malignancies, but the knowledge regarding these pathological behaviors, therapeutic models and prognostic factors was limited.Objectives: To investigate the clinical characteristics and the survival outcomes of nSCCs of the larynx.Material and methods: A total of 106 patients diagnosed with laryngeal nSCC between 2003 and 2014 were retrospectively investigated from a cohort of 4,796 patients with laryngeal malignancies.Results: Spindle cell carcinoma, malignant salivary gland carcinoma, neuroendocrine carcinoma, non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, and carcinosarcoma accounted for the majority of the nSCCs of the larynx. In laryngeal nSCCs (excluding non-Hodgkin lymphomas), there was no significant difference in overall survival (OS) by tumor subsite (p = .818), clinical-stage (p = .051) or T stage (p = .412), but the difference in OS by N stage was statistically significant (p = .001). Upon comparison of propensity score-matched groups, the OS was longer in SCCs of the larynx (p = .0004).Conclusions and significance: Primary nSCC of the larynx is rare, and its diagnosis depends on comprehensive immunohistochemical examination, as the clinical characteristics are non-specific compared with SCC. The overall prognosis of nSCC is relatively poor compared with that of SCC in the larynx.

Epstein-Barr Virus-Associated With Lymphoepithelial Carcinoma: A Rare Tumor of the Larynx

Lymphoepithelial carcinoma of the larynx is a rare tumor, as this histological entity is mostly diagnosed in nasopharynx. However, it may be present in other non-nasopharyngeal sites and it is extremely rare in the larynx. The authors present a case of a 59-year-old man who presented to the Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Department complaining of a long-standing dysphonia, odynophagia, and dysphagia. The clinical examination revealed a laryngeal tumor involving the right epiglottis, right aryepiglottic fold, and ipsilateral false vocal fold. It presented with ispilateral neck lymph node extension. Multiple biopsies of the laryngeal lesion were performed under local anesthesia and the histological examination showed a poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma. After discussing the case in a multidisciplinary tumor board, a total laryngectomy with a bilateral neck dissection was performed and the histological specimen showed a lymphoepithelial carcinoma. Although immunostaining with LMP-1 antibody was negative, in situ hybridization for Epstein-Barr virus was positive. He underwent adjuvant chemoradiation. He is now at 9-months follow-up period, with no evidence of disease. Lymphoepithelial carcinoma of the larynx is an extremely rare disease, with an aggressive pattern. Epstein-Barr virus-associated lymphoepithelial carcinoma has been exceptionally reported. A correct diagnosis and close collaboration with pathologist is crucial to achieve the best treatment strategy. We present this case to discuss the clinical and histology findings and the different therapeutic aspects of this uncommon histological subtype carcinoma.

Basaloid Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Larynx: A National Cancer Database Analysis

OBJECTIVE

Basaloid squamous cell histology is a rare variant that accounts for about 2% of all head and neck squamous cell laryngeal carcinomas. The purpose of this study was to examine overall survival rates of patients according to treatment, stage, and laryngeal subsite.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective analysis.

SETTING

National Cancer Database (NCDB).

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

The NCDB was queried for patients with basaloid squamous cell carcinoma (BSCC) who were treated from 2004 to 2014. Five-year overall survival rates were determined by the Kaplan-Meier method. Univariate and multivariate analysis was used to identify factors correlated with 5-year overall survival.

RESULTS

The NCDB identified 440 patients meeting inclusion criteria. Median follow-up time was 31.2 months. On univariate analysis, the treatment modalities assessed (surgery alone, surgery with radiotherapy, surgery with chemoradiotherapy, radiotherapy, chemoradiotherapy) did not differ in their survival benefit. On multivariate analysis, only chemoradiotherapy (hazard ratio, 0.587; 95% CI, 0.37-0.93; P = .022) was associated with improved survival. All treatment modalities performed similarly between stage I and II tumors ( P = .340) and stage III and IV tumors ( P = .154).

CONCLUSION

This study represents the largest laryngeal BSCC series to date. We found that chemoradiotherapy was associated with improved 5-year overall survival of laryngeal BSCC on multivariate analysis.

Data Set for the Reporting of Carcinomas of the Hypopharynx, Larynx, and Trachea: Explanations and Recommendations of the Guidelines From the International Collaboration on Cancer Reporting

The International Collaboration on Cancer Reporting is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to develop evidence-based, universally available surgical pathology reporting data sets. Standardized pathologic reporting for cancers facilitates improved communication for patient care and prognosis and the comparison of data between countries to progressively improve clinical outcomes. Laryngeal cancers are often accompanied by significant morbidity, although surgical advances (such as transoral endoscopic laser microresection and transoral robotic surgery) provide new alternatives. The anatomy of the larynx is complex, with an understanding of the exact anatomic sites and subsites, along with recognizing anatomic landmarks, being crucial to classification and prognostication. This review outlines the data set developed for the histopathology reporting in Carcinomas of the Hypopharynx, Larynx and Trachea and discusses the main elements required and recommended for reporting.