Candida laryngitis appearing as carcinoma

Focal laryngeal candidiasis is not reported widely and is very infrequently recognized clinically. This disease is rare and may occur after pulmonary, pharyngeal and esophageal candidiasis or as part of disseminated disease. It is also secondary to inhaled steroid therapy which is usually mild and has been reported in 10-15 percent of patients taking these medications.

In this study, we introduced a rare case of laryngeal candidiasis in a 79-year-old immunocompromised male presented with 17 months of progressive hoarseness. In video laryngoscopy a white, vegetative mass on anterior one-third of right vocal cord mimicking laryngeal carcinoma. The histopathological examination showed laryngeal mucosal with keratosis, degenerating necrotic epithelial cell aggregates containing hyphea and candida albicans.

In immunocompromised patients, the diagnosis of laryngeal candidiasis should be considered in any patients with laryngeal symptoms.