Adenoid cystic carcinoma in ventricle of larynx: An interesting case

Adenoid cystic carcinomas (ACCs) are malignant tumors and occur in the major and the minor salivary glands. ACCs are rare in the larynx.

A 55-year-old female patient who presented with a 12 months history of paraesthesia pharynges and hoarseness for 4 months. Laryngoscopy showed an endophytic lesion in the right supglottic area with no laryngeal stenosis. And magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) confirmed the presence of a submucosal mass in the supglottic area. Supporting laryngoscope was performed under general anesthesia and a lesion biopsy obtained.

The lesion was sent for frozen-section biopsy, which shows the lesion was the epithelial-derived tumors of salivary gland, but it was impossible to identify the relationship between the tumor and the surrounding normal tissue, and to judge the nature of the tumor further. So, the lesion was sent for the second frozen-section biopsy, an ACC of the larynx was confirmed and margins were negative.

The patient underwent partial laryngectomy.

The patient was doing well except hoarseness during the follow-up period with no evidence of disease recurrence or metastasis for 17 months post-operatively.

Laryngeal ACC is a rare entity. When the nature of lesion cannot be confirmed, multiple biopsies may be required for confirm the diagnosis of pathology. It not only reduces patient's waiting time for surgery, but also define the diagnosis and surgical removal of lesion through a single anesthesia.