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Updated: Aug 17, 2026

"Sun's Seven-Step Technique" for Endoscopic En-Bloc Resection of Thyroid Cancer via the Chest-Breast Approach
Published on: November 28, 2025
Laryngeal involvement by differentiated thyroid carcinoma
Peter Zbären1, Michel Nuyens, Harriet C Thoeny
1Department of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital, CH-3000 Bern, Switzerland. peter.zbaeren@insel.ch
Background:
Invasion of the larynx by differentiated thyroid gland carcinoma is uncommon but causes serious morbidity and mortality when present.
Methods:
The clinicopathologic characteristics of 5 patients in which a total laryngectomy had to be performed for differentiated thyroid carcinoma are analyzed. Special reference is paid to the histologic intralaryngeal tumor spread, which is evaluated on whole-organ section.
Results:
All patients presented with hoarseness and/or dyspnea. Two patients are alive at 44 and 115 months. One patient died of intercurrent disease 2 months and 2 patients with disease 6 and 14 months after surgery. In all cases, intralaryngeal tumor spread was observed. Invasion of the larynx occurs by direct extension or by posterior tumor growth around the edge of the thyroid cartilage.
Conclusion:
In rare cases, differentiated thyroid carcinoma can widely infiltrate the larynx, making total laryngectomy unavoidable. The diagnosis of intralaryngeal tumor spread is done by imaging and endoscopy.
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