The answer is blowing in the wind: a pedunculated tumour with saw tooth flow-volume loop

Obstructing tumours of the upper airways have been demonstrated to alter the flow volume loop of pulmonary function testing. These alterations could be clues to the nature and location of the obstruction. This report describes a case of a pedunculated squamous cell carcinoma arising in the pharynx whose flow volume loop showed a saw tooth pattern which reflected the location and structure of the tumour.