NEUROENDOCRINE CARCINOMA OF THE LARYNX - PRIMARY TUMOR OR METASTASIS OF A MEDULLARY-THYROID CARCINOMA

Neuroendocrine carcinomas of the larynx are rare and their links with thyroid neoplastic lesions are not specified in most reported cases. W e report such a case secondary to medullary thyroid carcinoma. In a 63 -year-old man, a supra glottic laryngeal carcinoma confirmed by biopsy was initially treated by chemotherapy. A second biopsy of the larynge al lesion after incomplete remission displayed a neuroendocrine carcin oma with calcitonin in neoplastic cells. Laryngectomy, cervical bilate ral neck dissection and thyroid isthmic adenoma dissection were perfor med. Numerous neoplastic cells from these tissues contained calcitonin revealed by immunohistochemical method. Calcitoninemia was highly inc reased and multiple bone metastases were discovered. Secondary total t hyroidectomy was not possible and the patient died 6 months after In t his case the neuroendocrine laryngeal carcinoma was probably secondary to a latent medullary thyroid carcinoma. Medullary thyroid carcinoma is,nest often unknown ill similar previously reported cases of neuroen docrine laryngeal carcinoma. Thus a neuroendocrine tumour of the laryn x should require search for extra thyroid and over all thyroid neuroen docrine carcinoma, et en limited to a small and latent lesion.