[What happens to vocal cord dysplasias in variable smoking behavior?]

The influence of smoking with regard to the development and course of laryngeal dysplasias was examined. The case histories of 63 patients with histologically proven dysplasias of the larynx were evaluated in the light of their answers to a questionnaire covering their lifetime smoking habits.

1. The percentage of smokers in the patient group significantly exceeds the percentage of smokers in the general population. 2. The disease is more likely to lead to deteriorated histological findings in smokers. 3. A change in smoking habits at the time of diagnosis has no significant effect on the further course of disease. 4. Non-smokers have higher levels of dysplasia at first biopsy, but the disease is less likely to progress. The development of malignancy was not observed in the non-smoker group.