Verrucous carcinoma of the larynx. - A study of its pathologic anatomy

In the 10 years between 1964 and 1974, 276 patients with infiltrating carcinoma of the larynx included 31 cases of varrucous carcinoma (11 per cent of the series). This tumor is characterized by the pushing invasion of well differentiated squamous epithelium growing in a vertically folded invasive pattern. The tumor appears most frequently in the two decades between 50 and 69 years of age. The ratio of male to female patients was 3.4:1. Verrucous carcinoma has a predilection for the supraglottic regions of the larynx. Cut surface of the tumor shows clefting and sharp margins. Lymph node metastasis occurred in five cases. The marked inflammatory host reaction can cause misleading cervical lymphadenopathy. Problems in diagnosis are discussed.