SQUAMOUS NEOPLASTIC COMPONENT IN UNCONVENTIONAL SQUAMOUS-CELL CARCINOMAS OF THE LARYNX

Both otolaryngologists and surgical pathologists are involved in the d iagnosis and treatment of lesions of the larynx that are best diagnose d as invasive squamous cell carcinomas of some specified degree of dif ferentiation, not further subclassified (that is, conventional squamou s cell carcinomas). On occasion, however, a patient will present with an invasive tumor that on histologic examination diverges from the exp ected pattern of a squamous cell carcinoma of the usual type and so ra ises the question of proper classification (on the part of the patholo gist) and, following classification, a consideration of the prognostic and therapeutic implications of such a classification (on the part of the clinician). While some of these unconventional squamous cell carc inomas are rather indolent lesions (as, for example, the hybrid verruc ous squamous cell carcinoma), others behave in a fashion similar to co nventional squamous cell carcinomas (such as the adenoid squamous cell carcinomas), and yet others seem to behave more aggressively than do conventional squamous cell carcinomas of a similar size and stage (exa mples include the basaloid squamous cell carcinomas and adenosquamous carcinomas). Finally, the possibility exists within the larynx, as els ewhere in the body, that a nonepithelial lesion such as malignant mela noma may mimic a tumor more commonly encountered in that vicinity - na mely, a squamous cell carcinoma - and so receive inappropriate treatme nt if such mimicry is not recognized.