Laryngeal Clear Cell Carcinoma: A Systematic Review.

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Head and Neck Surgery
• Pathology

Background:

• Laryngeal clear cell carcinoma (LCCC) is an exceptionally rare malignancy.
• Existing literature is primarily limited to isolated case reports.
• Comprehensive characterization and trend analysis of LCCC are lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and analyze the existing literature on LCCC.
• To characterize the typical presentation, treatment modalities, and survival outcomes of LCCC.
• To identify potential trends in this rare laryngeal tumor.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search of PubMed, MedLine, and Embase databases.
• Inclusion of studies reporting pathologically diagnosed LCCC from 1976 to 2024.
• Data extraction adhering to PRISMA guidelines for 9 cases across 7 studies.

Main Results:

• The majority of affected patients were male (77.7%) with a mean age of 56.5 years.
• The supraglottis was the most common site (66.6%), often presenting with advanced locoregional disease.
• Surgery was the primary treatment (66.6%), with a high recurrence rate (55.5%) and poor average survival (9.3 months).

Conclusions:

• LCCC is a rare, aggressive laryngeal tumor frequently involving the supraglottis with metastasis.
• Treatment approaches vary, including surgery and chemoradiation, but survival remains poor.
• Further research is warranted to improve outcomes for LCCC patients.