Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 20, 2025
Learning Modern Laryngeal Surgery in a Dissection Laboratory
Published on: March 18, 2020
Paediatric laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma: Systematic review and pooled analysis
Taha Mur1, Zaroug Jaleel2, Pratima Agarwal1
1Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Boston University Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA.
Insights
Pediatric laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is rising. This review found no significant survival difference between surgical and non-surgical treatments for pediatric SCC, suggesting unique therapeutic responses.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Otolaryngology
- Pediatric Cancer
Background:
- Paediatric laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is a rare but reportedly increasing malignancy.
- Current treatment strategies for pediatric laryngeal SCC mirror those used for adult patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and pool oncologic outcomes for paediatric laryngeal SCC.
- To compare treatment efficacy and survival rates in pediatric patients with laryngeal SCC.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive literature search was conducted on OVID MEDLINE and EMBASE.
- A pooled analysis of oncologic outcomes from identified studies was performed.
Main Results:
- The study cohort averaged 12.1 years of age, with primary tumors located in the supraglottis (36%) or glottis (64%).
- Treatments included unimodal and combination therapies.
- No significant difference in 5-year overall survival was observed between surgically and non-surgically treated patients (68.2% vs 76.2%, P=.905), even when stratified for advanced stage or supraglottic disease.
Conclusions:
- Paediatric patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) of the larynx may exhibit distinct clinical presentations.
- Therapeutic responses in pediatric laryngeal HNSCC might differ from those observed in adult populations.
Background:
Paediatric squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the larynx is rare; however, recent data seem to support the notion that this pathology is increasing in incidence. Although this has been the case for several decades, treatment algorithms for this patient population remain identical to those of adults.
Methods:
The study consists of a systematic review and pooled analysis of oncologic outcomes in paediatric laryngeal SCC from a comprehensive literature search on OVID MEDLINE and EMBASE.
Results:
The average cohort age was 12.1 years. Nine (36%) had supraglottic primaries, and 16 (64%) had glottic primaries. Treatment included unimodal and combination therapy. No significant difference in survival was noted between surgically treated and non-surgically treated patients (5-year overall survival (OS): 68.2% vs 76.2%, P = .905), even when stratified for advanced-stage and supraglottic disease.
Conclusions:
Paediatric patients with laryngeal HNSCC may have different presentations and responses to therapy than their adult counterparts.
