RECURRENT LARYNGEAL PAPILLOMATOSIS - A CASE OF FLORID PAPILLOMATOSIS FOLLOWING A REMISSION OF 30 YEARS

Laryngeal papillomatosis is the commonest benign tumour affecting the larynx. Two forms are found i.e. juvenile onset and adult onset. Typic ally the juvenile onset form has a greater rate of recurrence and ofte n remits with the onset of puberty (Corbitt et al., 1988). The human p apilloma virus (HPV) is the causative agent (Abramson et al., 1987; Co rbitt et al., 1988), specifically types HPV6 and 11. Attempts have bee n made to correlate the clinical behaviour of these two modes with the viral serotype and other aetiological factors such as smoking and hor monal factors (Abramson et al., 1987; Rimmel et al., 1992). Studies, h owever have shown that there is considerable variation in behaviour (S teinberg et al., 1983; Corbitt et al., 1988; Crissman et al., 1988). I t is widely accepted that the disease 'bums' itself out, particularly with respect to the juvenile form. It is interesting and unusual there fore when the disease reappears after many years of remission. The fol lowing case report illustrates this point.