Aggressiveness pattern and second primary tumor risk associated with basaloid squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx

Basaloid squamous cell carcinoma (BSCC) is a rare, aggressive and distinct variant of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the upper respiratory and digestive tract. We have evaluated disease specific survival (DSS) and overall survival (OS) through Kaplan-Meier method and mortality risk through univariate statistical analysis of Cox in 42 cases of BSCC and other 42 of laryngeal SCC (LSCC) matched for both age and sex. We demonstrated that laryngeal BSCC is a more aggressive tumor than LSCC as is associated to higher nodal recurrence of pathology (5 vs 2 patients, overall risk, OR 2.7), a reduced survival (median survival 34 vs 40 months, OR 3.2 for mortality); in addition, basaloid patients have a higher risk to be affected by second primary tumors (13 vs 3 patients, OR 5.8) and a higher probability to die for this second tumor (Hazard Risk, HR 4.4). The analysis of survival shows an increased mortality risk concurrent with the parameters assessed by univariate analyses that assume a predictive and statistical significance in second tumor and grading in basaloid LSSC.