A. Cuchi et al., PRECANCEROUS LESIONS OF THE LARYNX - CLINICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL CORRELATIONS AND PROGNOSTIC ASPECTS, Head & neck, 16(6), 1994, pp. 545-549
Background. Medical literature on the development of malignancy shows
wide-ranging limitations depending on the criteria considered, but all
authors agree that the presence of dysplasia in the sample is an impo
rtant prognostic sign. Method. This is a retrospective study of 248 pa
tients controlled and treated at the ENT and Pathology Departments of
the Hospital Clinic in Barcelona between 1981 and 1991 for larynx lesi
ons. Biopsy studies of the following pathologic entities were carried
out: keratosis, chronic inflammation, and papilloma of the adult. The
degree of dysplasia present in each sample was assessed. Results. The
overall percentage of malignancy was 15.6% in this series. Malignancy
developed in 8.7% of the cases without dysplasia and in 31% (p < 0.000
1) with dysplasia. The groups were correlated with gender, age, and sm
oking habit. The presence of epithelial dysplasia is an important prog
nostic factor. The risk of malignant transformation increases if the d
ysplasia occurs in smokers.